


Nothing Left to Hate About You

by rebel_raven



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Accents, Aged-Up Character(s), Almost death, Angst, Arenea Jane and Mr. Egbert work there as well, Bakery and Coffee Shop AU, Bets & Wagers, Bi-Polar Kurloz, Blood, Character Development, Cronus and Eridan did not have a good childhood, Cronus and Kurloz are idiots, Cronus is a part time street musician, Cronus knows how to sign, Cronus needs a hug, De-Aged Characters, Depressed Cronus, Dirk Nepeta Horuss and Equius work together, Do not piss him off, Dualscar is a good father, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Flash backs to childhood abuse, Flashbacks, Fluff, GHB and Dualscar are idiots, Gender-Fluid Eridan, Getting to Know Each Other, Gratious amounts of cat and fish puns, Hospital Scenes, Human Condense, Human Cronus Ampora, Human Culture, Human Dualscar, Human Eridan Ampora, Human Feferi Peixes, Human Meenah Peixes, Human/Troll Relationships, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Jade has a betting pool running on these idiots, Kankri is a protective moirail, Karkat's creative swearing, Kind of Humanstuck AU, Kissing, Knives, Kurloz and Gamzee are atheist as in not part of the Subjuggulators, Kurloz needs a hug, Kurloz owns a bakery with Meulin and Porrim, Kurloz signs, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mental Health Issues, Mentions of self-harm, Meulin is deaf, Mr. Egbert is everyone's dad, Music, Nerdy Cronus, Nerdy Kurloz, No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD attacks, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Poly relationship negotions, Polyamory, Pre-Accident Mituna, Protective Cronus, Protective Dirk, Protective Kurloz, Rating subject to change, Romance, Scars, Sloppy Makeouts, Slow Burn, Sollux is Sollux, Speech Impediments, Stabbing, Surgery, The seadwellers never existed and are instead human, These idiots need to get togehter, They are also assholes who need to figure their shit out, They manage most of the time to vent them in different ways, Though they do have violent urges, Time Skips, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Troll Caliborn, Troll Calliope, Troll Culture, Typing Quirks, a lot of blood, graphic description of past abuse, it gets ugly, kinda slow burn, minor background characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-05-07 16:38:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 146,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14675139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebel_raven/pseuds/rebel_raven
Summary: Kurloz Makara doesn't like Cronus Ampora, despite him occasionally attracting business with his street performances. He finds him to be a smug, rude, narcissistic asshole with too many layers, too many reasons to not like what he's hiding. He wants to peel away those layers and tear down the human's walls. And no matter what the others say, he's not flushed for the asshole... Right?Cronus Ampora thinks Kurloz Makara is a fucking creepy asshole who grates on his nerves. He finds the tall troll to be a smug asshole who likes to piss him off for no reason other than to get a reaction out of him. He knows there's something more, but he's not making a dent in the troll's barriers.It doesn't help that they prefer the company of few and far between, and they both prefer the same group of people, but when Kurloz opens up to Cronus, and Cronus opens up to him, they see a lot more than they expected. In the background of this mess, Karkat is planning out a movie as Jade collects money on who will crack first.





	1. In Which Two Idiots Figure Somethings Out

**Author's Note:**

> So! I love to put myself through rare pair hell and I decided to write this mess. I know that in the comic, they are two of the literal worst characters but I wanted to explore what else they could be. I will keep them as close to their original characterization as possible, but if this bothers you, feel free to go elsewhere. They are both still undisputably assholes, but everyone has layers. For the purposes of this fic, sea dwellers never existed and are instead human and trolls have lived with humans for several thousands of years. Troll and human relations are pretty stable after all this time, but they don't always mesh together. I'll admit this is my first time writing Homestuck despite being in the fandom since near the beginning. That being said, I hope you enjoy my attempts at plot and shenanigans. Also, side note, I really have to thank my wonderful friend and enabler, Lacewing, for making me want to write this. If you haven't already checked out her stuff, you seriously need to. Like, go. Right now. She's amazing. Okay, enough from me. On with the story!  
> No, wait I lied.  
> DISCLAIMER!!  
> If by this point you don't know that Homestuck, in all it's insanity, is the brainchild of Andrew Hussie, I cannot help you. OC's belong to me.  
> Okay, now on with the story!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!  
> -RR

Soft, albeit broken, humming filled the air as a tall, lanky troll worked to complete icing a design on a batch of sugar cookies. The bakery wasn’t open yet, and wouldn’t be for at least another two hours, but he preferred to come in early and start the day’s work. Or, at least get his thoughts into order and get a head start on the day’s work.        

‘ _Bread can be baked through the day, we made the dough last night and it’s proved by now. The cookie order for the Derian party are going to be finished and delivered before noon. Jane will be coming in late today, I may have to leave for an hour to check on Gam and Karkat after their appointment at the therapist… Porrim will be in in an hour, Mr. Egbert will be here soon. Kankri, Meulin, and Aranea will be here just before opening. What else do I have to do? Cookie, right._ ’ 

He blinked when he felt something against his finger and looked down at the half-ruined sugar cookie. The delicate lilac icing he’d been piping into a mandala pattern had flooded and run into another part of the cookie, mixing with the orange and over the edge. 

“Fuck,” he mumbled, then shrugged, and popped the cookie into his mouth. “No use wasting good motherfuckin’ cookies,” he mumbled to the air, grinning just a little too sharply.  
  
Kurloz Makara dusted the crumbs off his hands and sighed through his nose, rolling his neck and grunting in satisfaction as his spine popped. He was surprised at how sore he felt. A quick glance at the clock made his eyes widen before he snorted. 

“No wonder I’m so fucking sore, spent the last twenty minutes bent in half over these damn cookies,” he picked up another one of the pastel iced cookies, grinning with pride at how well they’d turned out.  They’d been cut into a daisy-like shape, but the pattern on top of them set them apart. They seemed to have been woven with color, bright orange, a duller pink, lilac, sunny creamy yellow, meringue white, and a sky blue. All forty-eight of them laid out on the wooden work table in neat little six by eight rows, icing hardening until he could stack them and put them in the box for Arenea to take later that day to the client. 

The door to the back opened and he barely glanced up and David “Dad” Egbert came in, right on the second. He took off his fedora, which on most other men would have looked silly or hipster-esq, but on him looked almost distinguished. His nose was prominent, with a defined dip, almost like it’d been broken long ago and healed not quite right. His skin was pale without the sun to make it tan, hair curly but not unruly, a dark brown, almost black with light grey peppering his temples. His warm brown eyes smiled as he did it seemed. It was impossible to not feel welcome when that man was around. 

He wore a white dress shirt, black tie, black dress pants and black shoes, all neatly pressed and not a speck of dirt in sight. All he was missing was his pipe, which he smoked during his breaks but never any closer than thirty feet from the shop as he knew the troll’s noses were more sensitive and he didn’t want to bring the smell into the shop. He was the definition of a “proper, distinguished gentleman” without being an asshole.

He was a stark difference to Kurloz, with his grey skin, purple eyes, and skeletal makeup. His clothes were black or purple, most commonly sporting skeletons, either a full body print or small bones on his shirt, hoodies or shorts that he wore over his leggings. His hands, however, had long ago been tattooed with his finger bones. His heavy purple boots barely made a sound as he walked around the table to nod at the human, who gave him a warm smile. 

“Hello Mr. Makara,” his voice wasn’t deep, like many would have expected, but soft and low, almost a little husky. He was grinning as he tied his apron around his neck and waist in neat bows.  
  
“It’s just Kurloz, Mr. Egbert” Kurloz corrected. His voice was much deeper, almost a rumble, a stark contrast to the lean figure he cut. Kurloz Makara was a being of contradictions, and he enjoyed being so. Mr. Egbert grinned at him and chuckled,  
  
“And it’s just David. You don’t need to be so formal, Kurloz. I’ve worked with you since you, Meulin and Porrim opened shop five years ago.”  
  
He shrugged, snickering. “What can I say? Habit. I’m only thirteen sweeps, and David sounds weird for you, motherfucker. Callin you Dave would sound weirder.”  
  
Mr. Egbert merely grinned and shrugged. “Very well. A tired argument is one that tends to retire early.”  
  
Kurloz snorted in faint amusement, grinning despite himself. He watched the pale human move around the large kitchen easily, setting his lunch in the small fridge just under the coat rack, then moved to the industrial size fridge, pulling out the ingredients he’d need for his cakes and setting them on his own work space. The kitchen was fairly spacious, considering it was run by trolls on the “troll side” of the city, which meant high ceilings for horns and plenty of space between tables and racks to allow for more movement. The two ovens were huge, each with six racks, and were currently filled with muffin’s Kurloz had made before starting on his frosting project. 

He grabbed a mitt and made his way over to the section of wall that had been dedicated to the ovens, kneading table for their various breads, and various tools that had been stored in neat rows, labeled with black marker in clear bins on a metal shelf. Directly across them was the sink and dishwasher, which Kurloz had already emptied, stocking the mugs and plates for the day in the cupboards outside in the main shop.

“I was wondering what you were baking,” Mr. Egbert said as he started to measure out ingredients for a chocolate cake. “Muffins or a new hybrid?”  
  
“Muffins,” Kurloz said. “Gluten-free, so they took a bitching long time to cook properly.” He turned the oven off first and opened the door, hit with a blast of heat that ruffled his curly, unruly black hair a bit. He just squinted and pulled out the two trays, setting them on the closest table to cool and shutting the oven with a good shove from his elbow.  
  
He started on the bread next with the sound of a motorcycle revving then slowing till it was just an idle, then shut off. A few minutes later, Porrim Mayram was walking through the door, helmet under one arm, her other hand carding through her thick black hair, getting rid of her helmet hair. The jade blood was stunning, as always. Jade green boots that went up her ankle, laced tight around skin tight black pants and a dark green shirt with a black pattern on it hugged her torso, and her leather jacket topped it all off. Her piercings glinted in the light as she turned towards the pair, smirk on her lips, fangs bared like the rainbow drinker was hungry.  
  
“I’m five minutes ahead of time, Kurly.”

He just rolled his eyes and snorted. “You can come and help me with the bread then, motherfucker.”

Porrim flipped him the bird but hung her helmet and jacket up on the coat rack and went back outside to retrieve her things that’d been stuck in her bike’s storage compartment. She came back in with a light grey open front sweater and was in the process of rolling the sleeves up, showing off the black tattooed lines that covered her arms. She grabbed her apron, which she had stitched to be more colorful, and tied it in place before going to help him bake bread, muffins, cookies and whatever else they decided to fill the shop with that day.  
  
Time passed quickly after that. Five am became six. Kurloz left to go be sure that everything was ready for opening, having swept, mopped and wiped down every available surface when he first came in, as Porrium and Mr. Egbert began to fill the display case with treats. Kurloz checked the machines they used to make drinks, the coffee maker, a steamer, cappuccino machine and a troll kettle that constantly kept water at a low simmer unless it was removed, or the dial was turned up to make it boil. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, then looked at Porrim and Mr. Egbert. They had almost finished setting up the display case, it seemed. Bread was stacked in neat rows, cool enough to not steam the glass, cookies, muffins, pies, quiche, cannoli’s, and even a freshly finished cake were sitting there. And he could hear the door opening in the back, and Kankri, Meulin and Aranea as they arrived. He smiled a little to himself as he stocked the tea and coffee beans. Today would be a good day.  
  
‘ _It_ will _be a good day,_ ’ he swore to himself, taking a few deep breaths as he noticed his hands shaking just slightly. ‘ _Stop that._ ’ He clenched his fists and pressed his knuckles into the dark counter, eyes closing. He was fine. It would be a good day, damnit. 

“Purrloz?”  
  
His head shot up and he blinked. Meulin was standing a foot away, lips pursed in slight worry. She wore stockings that had cat faces at her knees, her usual black skirt that was just to the middle of her thighs, olive green sweater and a black collared shirt underneath, he could see the collar half crushed under the neck of the sweater. Her voice was a little louder than needed, though she was usually on top of her volume control sometimes it slipped her mind to tone it down a little.

 _Come here._ He signed, and she did as asked, stopping a few inches in front of him. She was so much shorter than him, but then everyone was short to him. Even Mr. Egbert, who was six foot, was short to Kurloz. Then, being six foot six makes everyone seem short. He bent slightly and gently tugged her shirt collar free before he smoothed it out. 

 _Your shirt was stuck again. You need to stop doing that, Meulin._ He signed, but he smiled at her as he did. She may be his ex-matesprit, but they were still able to get along platonically. 

“Awww, thank you Purrloz!” she grinned. “I must not have noticed it. I was in a rush this mewring to get Nepeta to work on time.”  
  
_That one was bad._ But he couldn’t stop the chuckle in the base of his throat. 

“Nope,” she popped the P, voice still a little too loud. “It made you chuckle. I win. You can wish otherwise, but you know my puns are pawsitively the light of your day.” 

 _Okay, you got me there_. 

She grinned in satisfaction and with a nod, went around him to the rest of the bakery. She straightened chairs, and wiped the invisible dust away from the table tops, making a little noise as she moved despite it just being the two of them in the front at the moment. Humans tended to be a little freaked out when trolls moved without noise, so those that cared would try to announce themselves in some way. It was bothersome since it meant stepping harder on the ground than was strictly needed. Kurloz usually didn’t give two shits, seeing as he preferred not to interact with strangers and really, it was easier to let one of the more sociable members of the bakery deal with those who had a problem. Meulin turned the sign around to OPEN and went back to dusting invisible dust off of tables as the kitchen filled with noise, making Kurloz smile once more. 

‘ _Today_ will _be a good day,_ ’ he thought a little more forcefully as the door opened, bell jingling. Porrim came out to help with the customers and like that, the day started. 

The morning rush came and went, leaving the bakery filled with a low murmur of a few patrons who decided to stay inside rather than out in the early, cool fall weather. Kurloz was manning the register, Porrim was taking a well-earned break after having dealt with the brunt of the crowd. Mr. Egbert, Aranea, Kankri and Meulin were in the kitchen at the current moment, making more pastries. Kurloz was about to make himself a cup of tea and go take a break of his own, have Arenea on the register when,

“Heya chief, vwhere y’at?”

The too thick accent grated on the troll’s nerves and he just stared at the broad-shouldered human. Pitch black hair slicked back, olive skin tanner than it should be, as there was a lack of sun as the fall turned to winter, the smell of cigarettes on his shirt and breath. Slate grey eyes stared back at him, smug smile in place. Leather jacket, beaten jeans, guitar case slung over his shoulder, indigo bandana wrapped around his neck. Cronus Ampora, disgusting 1950’s greaser wannabe with a bad fake Brooklyn-Jersey accent and too many fucking walls for Kurloz to feel anything other than antagonistically curious, wanting to push and push to get what was underneath. He’d admit, privately, that he wanted to know the man, but Ampora pissed the troll off, almost to the point of needing an auspistice somedays.  
  
“Ampora,” Kurloz said simply, not even trying to hide his glare. “The fuck do you want.”  
  
His smug grin faltered for a moment and Kurloz took a stab of pride at that. The glare he received made him set his feet a little more and tilt his head down, almost threatening but not quite. The trolls in the bakery didn’t let up their conversations but they watched with varying degrees of subtlety. To them, it looked almost like the pair were in a kismesissitude. Kurloz could only wish that were the case, but then he didn’t hate the human like that. 

“Jesus, Makara, vwhat beaver chewed your fuckin horns off? VWas askin hovw you’ve been, that a crime?” His words were tinted with something else, something no fake accent could cover up and it made Kurloz’s skin itch to find its source. 

“When it’s you, yes. Weren’t you off in the middle of fucking nowhere for the last few months? The fuck do you want, motherfucker?” he asked shortly and grinned sharply as Cronus’ fight seemed to rear its head for a minute. He had to fight off a frown when the other’s phone went off and he pulled it out, his shoulders still tense. Cronus read whatever text he’d received and frowned a little.  
  
“VWhatever, Makara. I just vwant two muffins and two hot teas. One lemon, the other chamomile. Dirk’s sick as a damn dog, just got his rear in gear an texted me vwaht he vwanted.”

Kurloz grunted and as he turned to get his order – really, the sooner the human was out of his face, the less inclined he’d be to bite the other’s off – Kankri came out.  
  
“Cronus! I didn’t know you were back!” Kankri Vantas was a whirlwind of energy and words, though nowhere near as bad as when he was a few sweeps younger. His bright red eyes and nubby horns were impossible to miss, if his words didn’t catch you first. Kurloz watched in interest as Cronus’ tension went away, and he relaxed completely.  
  
“Heh, sorry Kankri. I vwanted to text you, but I got in two days ago and this is the first time I’ve been outside and part of the livin.”  
  
Kankri sighed, folding his arms. He wore his trademark red sweater, black jeans that had been dusted with flour, his apron missing, and a pair of purple converse. He unfolded his arms after a moment and brushed some of the hair that had escaped Cronus’ attempt to grease it to his skull out of his face, frowning in distaste.  
  
“You’re greasing your hair again? And,” he paused, leaning closer and wrinkling his nose. “Smoking? I thought you said you quit,” The way Cronus almost wilted under Kankri’s trademark Disapproving Look was almost funny. What made it less humorous was the look of pain on his face. If Kankri wasn’t there right then, Kurloz would have been chuckling at very least. He was sure of that. He tried to ignore the way his stomach twisted and was mostly successful. 

‘ _Cronus Ampora is an undeniable piece of shit, a douche bag to the largest degree. All evidence points to that._ ’ Kurloz thought, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. ‘ _It’s just to learn what buttons to push on this asshole. I’ve gotten rusty if he’s not glaring the minute he walks in and sees me,_ ’  
  
“Yeah… It.. it vwas a bad night last night.” The way his voice went soft, almost too soft for Kurloz’s sharp ears to catch made his damning curiosity perk up. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.    
  
“Cronus…” Kankri said softly, voice dipping in a strange way, then looked at the clock. “I get off at five today, will you be alright on your own?”  
  
Cronus’ smug smile was firmly in place before Kurloz could blink, and that flash of vulnerability was gone. “You know me, Kanny. I’ll be fine, always am. Nothin to vworry bout vwith me! You just get back to vworkin and you call later vwhen you’re out.” 

Kankri sighed and to Kurloz’s surprise, pulled Cronus close in a hug without asking first. He pulled back a moment later, looking worried.  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t ask if it was okay to touch you. Did you have one of your bad-bad nights last night? Or was it something more general-“  
  
“Kankri,” Cronus said, smiling a little but sounding exasperated. “It’s fine. You can hug me. It’s fine. You’re my moirail. Kinda the package deal there chief. You keep me from bein’ too stupid and I keep ya from chevwin off some poor sucker’s fuckin ears.”  
  
“Cronus, that’s-!” Kankri stopped and sighed, rubbing his temples as he gritted his teeth. Cronus winced and resituated his guitar case and gently touched his shoulder, having to reach up a little to do it. The human was just barely five foot ten and Kankri was six feet tall.  
  
“Sorry, Kankri. Come here,” he pulled the taller troll into a hug and after a moment, the other returned it. Kurloz finished making the drinks and waited, semi-patient, for Cronus to stop having a make shift jam in the middle of his damn bakery. The other patrons were now torn between blatantly watching and turning away. Human-Troll relationships weren’t illegal, nor were they rare. But when it came to them, there were some things you just didn’t do in a public space. Case and point.  
  
“It’s fine, Cronus,” Kankri said after a moment, resting his head on Cronus’ and making a face. “I know you won’t, but I wish you would stop greasing your hair. It’s strange to rest my head on yours.”  
  
“Aww, come on chief,” Cronus said with a kind of forced cheer. “Ya know I can’t do that. Part of the vwhole reason that I get so much tail, everyone loves Elvis Greasers,” 

“If you two are fucking done,” Kurloz said, arms crossed, and eyebrow raised. “I finished your order motherfucker. So, pay and unless ya want your fuckin roomie keeling over, get the fuck out.”  
  
Cronus smirked as he pulled away from Kankri and Kurloz ignored the way the other troll glared at him, fire starting to burn in his candy red eyes.  
  
“Ya, you’re right bout that chief. Can’t leave my best bro all hung up like that.” He pulled out his wallet and paid. Kurloz made sure to take a little longer than necessary counting out his change and handed it over, careful not to touch Cronus but smirking at him as he dumped the coins over into his hand.  
  
“Have a pleasant day and remember to come back soon,” Kurloz said with a shark smile, which only widened when Cronus gave him a toothy smile in return.  
  
“Can’t vwait for tomorrow, chief.” And with that, stuffed his change into his pocket, grabbed the teas and bag that had the muffins, and left.  
  
The moment he was gone, Kankri rounded on Kurloz, lips pulling back to snarl before taking several deep breaths, arms crossing to keep himself contained.  
  
“Can we speak, in private?” he hissed. Kurloz blinked and nodded, leading Kankri through the kitchen to the kitchen and tapping Aranea on the shoulder. He pointed to the door and she tilted her head to the side for a moment.  
  
“Oh, do you need me to take over the register?” when he nodded, she gave a smile, which was just a little too sharp, and said, “That’s no problem, Kurloz! I hope you enjoy your well-earned break,” and off she went, blue short dress swishing as she half skipped out the door. Kankri waited, mostly patient, for Kurloz by the back door and then led the taller outside. Kurloz waited patiently for Kankri to start ranting at him and was surprised when the other just stared at him for several minutes in dead silence. He didn’t speak, just waited. Kankri would break first.  
  
“I don’t appreciate the way you treat my moirail,” he stated, lips pulling back a little in a snarl. “He’s done nothing to you, nothing to deserve your treatment and while it seems you are pitch flirting I know for a fact that you do not want a kismesissitude with a human, baring your usual opinion on the quadrant and that we both know humans aren’t usually built for handling pitch relationships. That aside, what the fuck is your issue with him?” 

“He’s a douche, and I don’t like him,” Kurloz said flatly, shrugging. “He pissed me off the minute he walked into my bakery.”  
  
“That’s not a reason, that’s a fucking excuse.” Kankri said with a snort. “I will not tolerate such a blatant discrimination against my moirail. It can’t be due to the fact he’s human, as we serve humans, work with humans and you get along with them even if you are just being polite most of the time. Why are you such an asshole to him? And give me a proper fucking reason.”  
  
Kurloz shut his mouth and took a slow, deep breath. Kankri was Kankri… There was no stopping this troll when he was on a mission to figure out the truth, and Kurloz could only thank the stars that he wasn’t nearly as long winded as he used to be. His friend would go on for hours, preaching and ranting, and had a rage in his bones that would shake anyone to their core. His younger sibling Karkat had a similar anger, but that was comparing a bonfire to a wildfire.  
  
“He… Has too many layers.” Kurloz explained slowly now that he was properly thinking about it. “He pisses me off, his whole fuckin gimmick is dumb and so is his motherfucking “swager”. He’s hit on Meulin, Porrim, hell anything with a fucking pulse!! I want to fucking tear him to shreds and figure out how he works, damn it! He’s been coming here for almost two years, vanished for six fucking months, Gods forbid I hoped he’d finally died. And I still only ever fucking see that dumb fucking mask.” His voice never rose above speaking volume, but the urge to yell was bubbling up in his chest like a bottle of shaken Faygo.  
  
Kankri was giving him a measured look and he forced himself to take several long, slow breaths, digging his filed claws into his palm. The thick skin would keep him from slicing them open, but then he also wasn’t applying that much force. When he was calm, Kankri said,  
  
“Then, instead of antagonizing him all the time, why don’t you try to see what’s under that mask? You cannot judge someone by their outward appearances, and that you are doing so makes me sick to my stomach. You are better than that, Kurloz and I’m ashamed of you. You know better than to do that to someone, when trolls and humans alike face such a similar discrimination, even if in the current years we have been better about not being so close minded, and vica versa with humans, we cannot forget the years of tension and terrible living conditions that many endured due to their blood caste and only in recent years have received better treatment.” He paused and closed his eyes, tapping his foot like he was counting off in his head. After ten beats, he opened his eyes and let out a long breath of air, then continued.  
  
“All I’m saying, Kurloz, is that there is more to Cronus than you see. You are contradictions, as is he. Maybe look a little more, and don’t try to be a dick to him and he’ll let you in.”

“Kanny! Come here, I need your help!” Porrim called from the kitchen, leaning her head out the door and Kankri gave Kurloz one last long look before he went inside, lecturing Porrim on the use of his nickname.  
  
Kurloz huffed and shook his head, staring up at the cloudless sky. He itched to smoke, but he’d quit a sweep ago, and for good reason. Letting out another long sigh, he chewed on the inside of his cheek, shredding it a little before he realized what he’d done and spat out the cold blood.  
  
“Get to know him, eh?” he asked the ground, watching the purple blend into the black asphalt. “He’s nothing but a douche. Case fuckin closed. Whatever else is under that veneer of shit is a lie, he’s the kind of person who does shit for pity. I’m not interested in doing anything else but ripping him to his core.” But his words weren’t as acidic as they could be, and they tasted like ashes and blood. His lies always did. With a long sigh, he raked his hands through his hair, growling lowly as the pain helped him focus. And with that, he went back inside.  
  
Time passed. Jane came in around ten, apologizing despite telling him two weeks in advance she’d be late, but Kurloz waved her off with a smile and a nod. Jane Crocker was a round-faced, plump college student who worked part-time. She had pin straight black hair and pale, almost albino, skin, and piercing blue eyes. Her buck teeth were endearing, and her red glasses were a striking contrast to her blue and white color scheme. Today she wore a pastel blue skirt that went to her knees, black flats, and a white button up. She grabbed her crimson red apron and immediately went to work helping Meulin make drinks and run the register. 

The lunch rush of people and trolls came and went fairly quickly, or least it felt quick. The cloudless day started to turn south, rain clouds gathering, promising rain and the potential to drive away any more customers unless they were desperate for pastry. Around one, the rain actually started, and it was a downpour. Kurloz stared out at the rain as it came down in sheets, bored out of his skull. No one with a sane thinkpan was going to come out in this. Arenea was still out on the delivery for the cookies, and wouldn’t be back for at least another forty minutes, despite having taken her car. At least he’d gotten a text from Karkat that he and Gamzee had made it to the therapist appointment and then back to the apartment. According to his last text, Gamzee was dead asleep and Karkat was starting into a paper. 

‘ _At least they’re having a good day,_ ’ he thought with a sigh. 

The others were spread across the room, absorbed in their conversations, eating leftover pastry and drinking hot coffee and tea. He hummed, foot tapping as he watched the rain, looking for patterns of some kind. The occasional car was interesting, but they went by too quickly to focus on. He was about to turn around and go back to the kitchen to start baking something when the break to his boredom came in the form of none other than Cronus Ampora. 

He looked like a drowned meow beast, hair plastered to his skull, looking down at his phone as he slowly walked by the café. He didn’t seem to realize he was stopped just under the awning, or just where he was. The others were too absorbed in their conversations, even Kankri, who’s phone was buzzing with messages. Cronus paused, looked up and locked eyes accidentally with Kurloz before he stuffed his hands into his pockets and hurried away. Something in him made him untie his apron and lay it over the counter. He went to the kitchen and grabbed his jacket, and when he came back out, tugging it on, called over his shoulder,  
  
“I’ll be back later.”

He didn’t wait for a response. 

He followed Cronus down the street, the human moving at a quick clip, head down and tucked under his hood now, though it did no good to keep him dry. He seemed to have pretty good footing despite the torrential downpour and that they were walking downhill. It was almost like Cronus was walking on the water instead of the sidewalk. He didn’t seem to notice Kurloz at all, despite the fact that he was less than two feet away now that’d he’d caught up with the shorter man.  
  
Kurloz didn’t draw attention to his presence, waiting to feel the twist in his stomach when the human screeched in surprise as he noticed. He frowned a little as Cronus didn’t even seem to react to him practically breathing down his neck and felt something twinge in his chest. Worry. Why was he worried for this douche? He was just following him to scare him, right? That made his mouth taste like ashes again and he bit the inside of his cheek again to get rid of the taste. Instead, Cronus kept his head down and made his way to the park and took shelter in a gazebo. Kurloz followed, stopping by the entrance as he watched Cronus turn around and finally take notice of his presence.  
  
“Jesus fucking Christ!” he yelled, jumping backwards, flailing a little and managing to not fall over though one of his hands came up to his throat. Kurloz chuckled, low and deep, moving closer.  
  
“Well, hello to you too, motherfucker. And no need for such titles, it’s just Kurloz.” He smirked, watching the shorter man start to go red in the face. That was the reaction he was looking for.  
  
“You’re a fucking creep! Do you make a habit of fucking stalking people like that? Or is it just me that you vwanna torment?!” he took a step back as Kurloz took one forward, something like fear in his eyes before it vanished under false bravado, making Kurloz growl low in his chest. More fucking masks.  
  
“Who said I wanted to torment you, little one?” he growled with a smile, which only widened as Cronus took another step back, that bravado starting to disappear.  
  
“I-Oh fuck me sideways, don’t tell me you’re pitch for me,” Cronus looked like he was actually about to try and vault himself over the side of the gazebo to keep himself out of Kurloz’s reach. He was a line of tension, anger and fear practically radiated off of him. He didn’t need his Chucklevoodoo’s to pick up on that. He was telegraphing everything clear as day.  
  
That startled a belly laugh out of Kurloz, and he didn’t mind that he needed the closest pillar to help keep himself upright. Indigo tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes and he shook his head slowly.  
  
“Holy fucking shit, brother. You’re some kind of stupid if you think I’m pitch flirting with you,”

“Fuck off then.” Cronus snarled, glaring up at him. “If you’re just here to be a piece of shit, then you can leave me alone to my misery.”  
  
The change in attitude made Kurloz pause and look at Cronus a little more carefully. He wasn’t just angry and afraid, he was cornered, lashing out. There was something that was making him fight back instead of rolling over on his back to show his belly. Not that Kurloz couldn’t get behind that idea, maybe get him at his mercy and strip away those layers until there was nothing left- He stopped that train of thought abruptly. He wasn’t pitch nor ash for this fuck, and he sure as fuck wasn’t pale or flush. He just wanted answers. 

“Why the hell would I do that?” Kurloz asked, leaning against the pillar now. Cronus watched him warily. “You’re a stubborn, stupid motherfucker. Can’t let you go running off to do something you’d later regret, little red’d have my horns. Not that I’d let him or understand why he should care.”  
  
“Don’t you dare bring Kankri into this,” Cronus snarled. If his teeth were showing, blunt though they were, he’d almost look like a troll ready to fight. “You leave him out of this. This has nothing to do with him.” 

“Really?” Kurloz raised a brow, amused. “Cause to me, motherfucker, it looked like you were a lost puppy, kicked to the curb when he didn’t pick up his phone.”  
  
“Don’t,” Cronus said lowly.  
  
“Don’t what?” he pushed, stepping closer. “Don’t call you puppy? Don’t bring Kankri into this? What were you even going to do? Wait until you gave yourself hypothermia to leech off him more? Feed some sick sense of worry and desperation you’ve got going on?”  
  
“Fuck off!” Cronus yelled. “You don’t know anything about me! You’ve been nothin but an asshole since the first day vwe met and then expect me to take it, each time I come in! You’re a fucking creep vwith an ego bigger than his fucking horns! You do nothing but push and push till someone breaks!” 

Kurloz growled, the sound like distant thunder and yelled back, “It’s not like you give me much else to do you stupid piece of shit! Fuck, you go around acting like you’re some hot shit and then act surprised when people push you to make you fall! It’s what happens to people like you, it’s what you deserve! Breaking and being pushed is all you’re fucking good for! You’re a worthless, narcissistic creep with a million fucking masks. Do you even know what you sound like half the time?! Talkin to you, motherfucker, is almost painful because of how much your fucking voice grates!” 

“Yeah, at least I’m fucking good for something!” Cronus snapped back weakly, his voice losing its edge. “You can’t even think of a good insult that I haven’t already heard before.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised,” Kurloz growled, no longer yelling. “With how you act and how many fucking masks you have? Fuck, I’m shocked Kankri puts up with you at any given point.” 

His blood was bubbling with anger, his fists curling up as his arms tensed. Oh, if this escalated into a physical fight, he couldn’t wait. He almost missed the way Cronus flinched, almost missed the way the color drained out of him and how he stepped back, pressing himself against the pillar and trying to make himself blend in with the gazebo. Almost. Kurloz took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Something in his chest twisted uncomfortably at the way the smaller man was hunching into himself and mumbling so soft he had to strain to hear,  
  
“You’re right, I don’t know either. God knows I don’t deserve him and yet he puts up vwith me.”  
  
Kurloz blinked and took a step back, not realizing how close he’d gotten to Cronus. He looked up, tears at the edges of his eyes. For a minute, Kurloz expected him to break into a huge grin and flip him off, shouting “Gotcha,” or something along those lines. Instead, Cronus just ran a hand through his hair and looked at him steadily despite the shivers that ran through his body and the way his eyes started to turn red from holding back tears.  
  
“…What?” Kurloz was struck dumb for a moment, staring at him in no small amount of shock.  
  
“You’re right, okay?! Are ya happy now?! I’m a giant asshole like eighty percent of the time cause it’s easier, alright?! Easier than letting people like you in, cause I know they’re just going to fuck me over. No one cares about the asshole aside from assholes. Like you.” 

It took Kurloz a minute to process what Cronus said, as he lost his bad Jersey-Brooklyn accent half way through. He stripped away a few layers to Cronus Ampora, made him snap and proved his point that he was a huge idiotic asshole. And yet, he didn’t feel anywhere near as ecstatic as he expected. It felt like an empty victory, because he’d been proven right. It tasted like blood and ashes when he tried to rationalize,

‘ _I’m not that much of an asshole, he just pushed me first,_ ’ he could almost feel Meulin’s glare and hear Kankri’s lecture and stopped himself, blinking in surprise. ‘ _That’s a fucking kid argument for starting a stupid fight… Is that what this has been over the last two years? Nothing but a stupid fight between a pair of smart ass brats?_ ’

Looking at Cronus, the anger and pain in his grey eyes, the way he held himself like he wasn’t sure if he should be prepared to run, fight, or stand his ground, the way his breathing was just a little too fast, a little too short, the anger drained out of him.  
  
“I’ve been an asshole,” Cronus said as Kurloz took another step back, still looking at him. “I’ve stopped apologizing for it cause apparently, I can’t stop even vwh-when I try. But I still mean it when I say I’m sorry for being such a shit.”  
  
“Shut the fuck up,” Kurloz sighed, rubbing his temples. “Please… Just shut the fuck up.” He was surprised when the other actually fell silent, watching him warily. It took him a few minutes to form his thoughts, the sound of the rain hitting the ground as they stared at each other. Finally, Kurloz managed,  
  
“You pissed me off the second you walked into my café. You wear too many masks and your voice grates on my nerves like a yowling meow beast, but… I’m sorry for being an ass.” He paused. “This doesn’t mean I like you,” he added, and Cronus smirked, but he didn’t bring up the mask fast enough to cover the flash of understanding, and what could have been pain, in his eyes.  
  
“Doesn’t mean I like you either, Kurloz. But,” he shuffled his feet a little, nerves tying his tongue up again. “Maybe we can start over? I mean, if we end up hating each other again after this, maybe our combined assholishness is too much for the universe.” 

Kurloz blinked, looking thoughtful. His eyes wandered over Cronus, taking in the way his broad shoulders trembled slightly from the cold, his hoodie and shirt sticking to his very well-muscled torso, jeans clinging to his legs. His bad Brooklyn-Jersey accent had finally disappeared completely, and something warm, pretty similar to the Brooklyn-Jersey mix but more real, shone through. It was endearing. He wanted to know where he came from, he wanted to pull him apart. He wanted to know the _real_ Cronus.  
  
“Kurloz Makara, thirteen sweeps old, or twenty-five by your years. I’ve owned a bakery with my friends for the last five years. I’m a Capricorn, Purple blood and I have a moirail. I hate smug pieces of shit who think they’re king of the world and religion, I have a younger brother named Gamzee and I like photography, skeletons, and baking.” He stuck out his hand.

“Cronus Ampora, twenty-three years old. I’m a graduate student at Beforus University, I study anthropology with a concentration in Troll culture. My zodiac is Aquarius, I’m a candy red-blooded human, and I have a moirail too. I hate douchebags and alcohol, and I sometimes smoke. I have a younger brother named Eridan and I like to sing, music, and to read with a good cup of coffee.” He grabbed Kurloz’s hand and squeezed firmly, shaking it twice. Their hands lingered for a second before they let go, almost like they’d been burned.  
  
_Right, so…_ Kurloz signed, falling back on the habit immediately as his own nerves finally started to show.  
  
“Yeah…” Cronus scuffed his feet some more, hands stuffed in his pockets. Awkward silence fell between them.  
  
“The fuck were you doing out in weather like this?” Kurloz finally asked.  
  
He shrugged and looked two inches above Kurloz’s eyebrow, one hand rubbing at his bandanna slowly, like he wasn’t aware he was doing it.  
  
“Kankri texted me, said he wanted to see me. But, vwh-when I got there, he was all tangled in a conversation with Porrim and ain’t nothin on this planet gonna make me get between those two when they start.”

Kurloz chuckled and nodded. “They’re an interesting pair.” He looked at the sky then sighed. “Come on, let’s get going. You look like a drowned meow beast and I know you’re not cold blooded.” he shrugged off his jacket, which was slicked with oil to make it waterproof, and dropped it on Cronus’ head. He laughed as the smaller male squawked in surprise and had to wrestle with the coat for a moment to get it off his head and looked at Kurloz in shock.  
  
“Thought you said you didn’t like me,” he said, confused.  
  
“I don’t. But I also know Kankri will rip my horns off and use them as decoration if I let you get sick or do something stupid. Were you paying attention at all earlier, Ampora?” 

Cronus flipped him off, but he was grinning, not smirking. Kurloz felt his shoulders untense a little as he pulled the coat on, the sleeves eating his hands and the tails falling around his thighs.  
  
“You’re a tall motherfucker, what the hell,” Cronus laughed, rolling the black sleeves up so his hands were free.  
  
“And you’re freakishly short,” Kurloz said with a laugh, pushing Cronus a little, making him stumble. “Now let’s go. I’m walkin you back to your dorm, motherfucker.”  
  
“Cuse you, I live in an apartment. And who said you could walk me back?” 

“I did. I loaned you my jacket, I’m making sure you’re not going to keel over in the rain on the way there. So, let’s move.”

 Cronus gave him a long, slightly distrustful look, but sighed and shook his head.  
  
“Stupid fucking stubborn asshole,” he muttered.  
  
“That’s my middle name,” Kurloz said with a grin, chuckling as Cronus jumped, not realizing he’d heard. “Now, are we gonna stay here or do you want me to bring Kankri into this?” 

That seemed to work. Cronus glared at him but turned on his heel and walked out into the rain. Kurloz let him get a few feet head start before he followed and with his long legs, closed the distance in a few strides. He stuck his hands into his pants pockets and hunched his shoulders a little, grinning as Cronus jumped once again as Kurloz hissed like a snake in his ear.  
  
“Fuckin Christ,” he said. “Can ya not make noise vwhen you vwalk?”  
  
He just shook head, amused, and straightened himself out once more. Cronus looked up at him, looking even smaller in his large jacket, before he snorted and muttered one last, “Fuck you,” and led the way to his apartment. No one was out, the occasional car rushing past aside, so the walk was silent. Kurloz normally didn’t mind the silence, preferred it half the time, but he could almost see the walls building back up around Cronus. He didn’t want that. So, he did the most logical thing he could do. Ask a question and try not to antagonize him.  
  
“Why’d you start with the bad Brooklyn-Jersey accent again? Thought you dropped that shit.”

Okay, maybe he wasn’t trying too hard. 

Cronus looked up at him, having dropped back a little so Kurloz didn’t have to try too hard to keep pace with him. They’d been walking side by side for the last fifteen minutes, and his resting bitch face morphed into a scowl.  
  
“Bad Brooklyn- Fuck you! I’m from New Orleans, born and raised asshole. I’m from Mid-City. Used to live in Ninth Ward, then Dad moved us out.”

“Then why the fuck are you trying to sound like you’re from Brooklyn when you already have the accent?”  
  
“It ain’t a Brooklyn accent,” Cronus huffed, crossing his arms. “It’s New Orleans, my accent is a Yat accent. You ever travel beyond your own damn house, rich boy?”  
  
“Rich boy?” Kurloz asked in a deadpan.  
  
Cronus snorted. “Sure. You’re a Capricorn, Purple. Highest on the motherfuckin food chain. Don’t need to study Troll Culture to know that. Just look out ya vwindow and ya know. Don’t matter that the hemospectrum hasn’t been strictly enforced since before we were born, still a thing. Can’t take what’s been ingrained and negatively reinforced outta culture. S’like humans with their stupidity around different races. Second, ya ain’t vwhite or,” he cleared his throat and said in almost halfway decent British accent, “speak the Kings god damn English, you’re thrown in with the whole idea that you’re “lesser” and “ignorant”.” He scowled, and his voice returned to normal. “Buncha shit faced squares.”

It took Kurloz a few minutes to decipher what he’d said, as his accent became progressively thicker and he slurred words together as he became more agitated. 

“So, are you lumping me in with the shit faced squares, motherfucker?”  
  
Cronus looked up at and smirked a little. “Nah. You’re an asshole, but ya ain’t that kind of asshole. Were you listenin to me? I said you vwere a Capricorn, don’t mean you follow the whole,” he waved a hand, “Bullshit spectrum. Y’all at the bakery are all types. Jade, purple, indigo, candy red, cerulean, human, troll, don’t seem to matter. Y’all serve humans and trolls and make a damn good muffin. Just cause you got some fancy blood in ya or a title don’t mean you’re gonna be like all the others in your group.”

Kurloz didn’t realize he’d stopped walked until Cronus stopped several feet ahead of him. He jogged to catch up and Cronus frowned at him, looking like he was ready to run away.  
  
“Vwh-What?” 

“It’s nothing, motherfucker,” Kurloz said with a grin and Cronus stared at him for a moment longer before he shrugged and continued towards his apartment. 

Kurloz looked around as they walked, taking in the scenery. They were still on the troll side of town, or at least, where trolls and humans mingled a little more freely. It was apartment buildings, shops, and Beforus University, named for the planet that trolls had left long, long ago. The last eighteen or so generations had called Earth home, and no one really thought of leaving. Troll culture and human culture were at odds, but over the years they’d managed to smooth things out to a functioning, less broken relationship. Things were sometimes tense, but they were soothed before too long and compromises were made. 

Egg hives were allowed to be built and run, almost like an administrative force with humans and trolls. Lusi were allowed to take care of wrigglers, but with either a pair of adult trolls, a singular troll, or a human and troll couple. Other times, like in Kurloz’s case, he was raised by a singular troll with his younger hatch mate, or brother. Kankri and Karkat were similar, they’d had an adult pair looking after them with a lusus, and some hives had started a test run program where humans took on abandoned wrigglers. It seemed to be turning out alright, but then it was still early. Kurloz was half tempted to ask Cronus what he thought about that particular subject, but instead asked,  
  
“Why do you pronounce shit weird? With that vw- sound in front of some words and not others?” 

Cronus’ reaction was interesting. He rolled his shoulders in a little and his hand came up to his neck, plucking at the bandanna once more. He was making himself a smaller target, Kurloz realized. He didn’t want to answer. Or if he did, it’d be with something flippant.  
  
“It’s… It’s a tic. Habit.”

“Bull-fucking-shit.” Kurloz said flatly. “What’s the real reason, motherfucker? Lisp? Speech impediment? Dental shit? Accent shit?”

Cronus shrugged. “Let’s go vwith speech impediment.”  
  
“So, it’s not?”  
  
“Fuck off.”

Kurloz wanted to push more, get the truth out of him, but the way Cronus’ voice dropped made him stop. He wasn’t angry or gearing up for an argument. He sounded flat, distant.  
  
‘ _Another layer? Did he add another or take one down?_ ’ was a passing thought, but he nodded and shrugged.  
  
“Alright. Fucking off,” he agreed. That startled a snort out of the human, and it made Kurloz grin with satisfaction. Silence fell again, the sound of the rain hitting pavement the only sound, but the silence was a little less awkward. Not exactly comfortable, but less awkward.

“Wonder what they’re doing at the café,” Kurloz muttered, brushing some of his sopping wet hair out of his face. He didn’t mind the cold, seeing as he was already pretty cold blooded, though the wet clothes were going to be a bitch to deal with. He supposed could just steal a towel from Cronus and dry off a bit that way. Or call Porrim and have her come get him.  
  
Cronus shrugged. “Dunno. Did ya tell ‘em where ya vwere going?”  
  
Kurloz faltered for a step then shook his as he pulled out his phone. “I’m sure they’ll be fine but should text them to be sure they didn’t burn the fucking shop down.”

 **Me: OI. DID YOU FUCKERS BURN DOWN MY SHOP?**

**Porrim: No, we didn’+. Don’+ worry so much. Where’d you go, anyways?**

**Me: OUT FOR A WALK.  
  
Porrim: Did you see Cronus at all? Kanny’s freaking the fuck o+ut o+ver the missed messages he go+ from him, and he’s starting to+ fret since the idio+t’s no+t responding  
  
Me: YES. I FOUND HIM OUT AT THE PARK. I’M WALKING HIM BACK TO HIS APARTMENT NOW TO BE SURE HE DOESN’T BREAK HIS SKULL OPEN OR GET SICK. LITTLE RED WOULD HAVE MY HORNS.  
**

**Porrim: Oh? Well, that’s certainly nice o+f yo+u. Do+ yo+u have plans?**

Kurloz frowned and looked at Cronus beside him. He was reading through the lengthy messages that Kankri had sent him, and they didn’t seem to be ending any time soon. His ears picked up a new sound, one that was quickly approaching, and pulled Cronus to his side as a trashcan came rolling down the hill – some idiot hadn’t put it away and the metal bin made a dreadful noise as it came towards them. He neatly sidestepped, balancing half on the curb, half off, as he held Cronus against him. The wind and the rain carried the can down the sidewalk and away from them in a few seconds, but it felt like an hour.  
  
Cronus was stiff under his hand, pressed against his side, almost to his chest from how he’d grabbed him. If Kurloz focused, he could feel the heat radiating off of him, even underneath the thick coat he’d loaned the other. His long fingers squeezed his shoulder tightly, hard muscle barely giving. Kurloz moved his hand a little and felt the sopping wet fabric of Cronus’ bandanna before the human was pulling away.  
  
“…Thanks.” He muttered, looking at Kurloz’s horns. The other shrugged and gave a grin, then took a too large step forward, tipping his precarious balance. For a second, Cronus looked like he was going to reach out and grab his hand but Kurloz grinned and with lazy grace, righted himself and continued to walk.  
  
**Me: NO, MOTHERFUCKER. I DON’T “HAVE PLANS” AS YOU SUGGESTED.  
  
Porrim: Well that’s go+o+d. I’m no+t going to+ save yo+u from Kanny’s wrath if you go+t Cro+nus hurt. Are yo+u pitch fo+r him? Cause I’m warning yo+u no+w, he wo+n’t go fo+r it. I tried already, he turned me do+wn. Damn shame. He’s an assho+le, but he kno+ws ho+w to+ argue but he always backs do+wn.**

**Me: I DON’T NEED TO KNOW YOUR PITCH ATTEMPTS WITH THE FUCKER, PORRIM. I’M JUST MAKING SURE HE DOESN’T DIE. BESIDES…**

**Porrim: Besides…?**

**Me: WE TALKED. WE FIGURED SOME PETTY SHIT OUT.**

**Porrim: Oho+ho+ho+o+~ Really no+w?**

**Me: YES. AND HERE’S AN ASIDE, IT’S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS, MOTHERFUCKER. JUST TELL THE OTHER’S THAT I’LL BE BACK LATER, AND CRONUS IS FINE.**

**Porrim: Okay, o+kay. Jegus.**

Porrim grinned like a shark at her phone, Jane, Aranea, and Meulin leaning around her to read her conversation. Meulin squealed, pulling away to jump up and down.  
  
“OH MY GODS!!!” she shrieked, looking excited.  
  
_Inside voice please, Meulin._ Aranea signed, looking pained.  
  
“Oh, sorry,” she didn’t look that sorry. She was bouncing up and down excitedly, hands coming up to her mouth as she grinned like a mad woman. Porrim was laughing, looking pleased while Kankri sighed and rubbed his temples, having not wanting to part take in the whole debacle.  
  
“What’s happened? And really, you three shouldn’t have been looking over Porrim’s shoulder like that. It was a rude and highly invasive gesture. What if she hadn’t been texting Kurloz at all and was instead doing something that required more privacy? I’m sorry if that offends you Porrim, I was just trying to make a point and I-“  
  
“Kankri, stop. You’re starting to ramble again, and it seems Porrim has something she wants to say.” Mr. Egbert said, not unkindly, sitting across from him. Kankri’s ears went a bright red and he nodded.  
  
“I’m sorry Porrim. What were you going to say?”  
  
Porrim gave the human a grateful nod before turning back to Kankri with that shark-like smile in place again.  
  
“Kurloz found your run away moirail and~” she drew the word out, enjoying the way Kankri seemed to move to the edge of his seat. “He’s walking him home!”  
  
Meulin barely contained her squeal of joy and started jumping up and down in joy all over again. Jane was smiling but looked confused, Kankri sharing her expression. Aranea just looked pleased.  
  
“Okay… So, what I’m sleuthing out of all this is that Kurloz and Cronus finally talked and are…what? Kismesis’? I didn’t think Cronus would go for that kind of relationship,” she muttered to herself.  
  
“He wouldn’t,” Kankri said with finality, crossing his arms. “Porrim, I normally wouldn’t pry into gossip like this, but as Cronus’ moirail I need to know what that relationship has become!”

“Don’t get your panties in a knot, Vantas.” She snorted, then continued before he could interject. “I already told Kurloz that Cronus doesn’t do kismesis, and he said that it wasn’t that kind of relationship. He said that he found Cronus at the park and that they talked, working out whatever sticks they’d crammed up each other’s ass. Seems they’ve dropped that whole asshole act.”  
  
That made Kankri blink in surprise before he nodded, a small smile coming to his face.  
  
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear my talk with Kurloz was effective. But, that doesn’t explain why Meulin is jumping phantom jump rope over there.”

“I think it’s a shipping thing,” Aranea said, grinning at her friend’s antics.  
  
“It is!! Oh, I’ll need to update so many things! This is purrfect!!”

“Uh…” Jane looked to be at a loss, shooting a look at the other trolls for answers. She may have been working there for the last year and half, but she still had some issues fully understanding their habits or what they were talking about.  
  
“Meulin is a romantic at heart,” Aranea explained. “She used to have a shipping wall, but her younger sister Nepeta started her own. So, to give her space, Meulin moved to keeping a journal of ships. And before you ask, yes, that includes all of us.”  
  
“It’s not malicious, I promise!!” Meulin said, volume rising in her rush to reassure Jane. “I don’t try to force anyone, just who I think would look cute together, or what kind of relationship I think matches people!”

“She’s got an uncanny sense with some couples,” Porrim supplied.  
  
“Huh. Can I see?”

The way Meulin’s olive green eyes lit up and the way her cute smile turned predatory made the pair back away, but she had already grabbed Jane’s wrist in a vice like grip and pulled her over a table. In a quick, neat move, she had a chair pulled out, Jane sitting down and pushed to the table before the young woman knew what was happening. Meulin leaned so her arms were blocking Jane from escape, her head resting on her shoulder.  
  
“Okay, so I don’t have my binder here,” she said, pulling up an organizer app on her phone. “But I keep tabs on everyone I have in my charts. And,” a few taps and she pulled up a folder labeled PURCRO. “this is my folder of pawsibilities for those two. Cronus not being one for a kismesis takes out that, but I do know Purrloz. And he’s so silly, acting like that.”  
  
_Acting like what?_ Jane signed, her fingers clumsy but Meulin seemed to understand her question. The others, even Mr. Egbert and Kankri, seemed interested in what Meulin was talking about.  
  
“Well,” she purred, drawing the word out as her eyes narrowed in mischief. “Purrloz is acting all krabby, but Cronus is making him pull his… What’s the human saying? The thing where the boy pulls on the mane of some pawson?”

“Pulling pigtails?” Mr. Egbert asked. Jane signed his response and Meulin nodded, her chin bumping against Jane’s shoulder and her horns almost smacking her in the head.  
  
“That’s it!” she remembered at the last second to keep her volume down so not to hurt Jane’s ears. “Purrloz has been pulling Ampurra’s pigtails, cause he’s curious. He wouldn’t do what he’s been purr the last mew years if he wasn’t interested in Cronus,” she giggled, the sound a little hoarse. “I can’t wait!! I know they’re going to go flushed!” She pulled away from Jane as she started to mess with her phone, humming and grinning widely.  
  
“I’m almost worried about what she’s doing,” Aranea said, a smile twitching at her lips.  
  
“Mnhm,” Kankri grunted, texting Cronus again. “I hope Cronus is alright…” 

**Kankri <>: Cr9nus, I kn9w I’ve sent y9u several messages, 6ut y9u’ve yet to pr9perly resp9nd. I kn9w Kurl9z is there with y9u, P9rrim and him had a c9nversati9n and she t9ld me. 6ut y9u have 6een 9ut in the rain f9r far t99 l9ng and I w9rry ab9ut y9ur health.**

**Me: Chief, calm dovwn. I’m fine, I promise. I’ll get a shovwer vwhen I’m back at the apartment.**

**Kankri <>: Are y9u sure? I can c9me 9ver later and make sure. 9h wait, am I 6eing t99 pushy? I’m s9rry if I am, that is n9t my intenti9n. **

**Me: Kankri, you’re fine. You can’t see it, but I’m smiling at you chief. Come by vwhen you’re off vwork, vwe can vwatch some movies vwith Dirk and Dave if crovw boy isn’t vwith Karkitty. Or vwe could just have all of us at once.**

**Kankri <>: Karkat w9uld pr9bably 6ring his r9mc9ms, 6ut I will 6e sure t9 6ring c99kies. Is that sufficient? I kn9w y9u have a paper t9 finish. **

**Me: Fuck. Yeah, I gotta do that too… Hovw the fuck do you do it???**

**Kankri <>: What? W9rk and g9 to sch99l? It isn’t t99 hard, Cr9nus. I als9 am n9t taking as many c9urses as y9u are, and I am graduating fr9m Bef9rus in May. S9ci9l9gy Masters f9r tr9lls are a little m9re flexible than anthr9p9l9gy and archel9gy.**

**Me: Vwe can talk bout this vwhen I can think clearly, Kan.  
  
Kankri <>: 6e sure t9 take a warm sh9wer then turn the water up sl9wly 9r else y9ur b9dy w9n’t react well!!**

**Me: Pr9mise, chief.**

**Kankri <>: G99d. And thank y9u f9r using my quirk, at least I kn9w y9u’re taking this seri9usly. **

**Me: Do I ever not vwhen it comes to you Kan?  
  
Kankri <>: Give me s9me time, I’m sure I can find the examples. It will take me s9me time to 9rganize them. D9 y9u prefer alphabetical or chr9n9l9gical?**

That startled a loud laugh out of him, making Kurloz look at him in confusion but he didn’t ask as Cronus returned to his phone. 

**Me: Holy fuck, Kan. Didn’t realize I brought the sass out that fast.  
  
Kankri <>: 9h dear, did that b9ther y9u?? Sh9uld I retract that previ9us statement? Y9u are my m9irail, 6ut I d9n’t kn9w if it’s t99 much. Y9u’re frustrating t9 read thr9ugh text. N9t that I mind, I l9ve y9ur quirk but y9ur mannerisms are difficult.**

**Me: 100%, I’m fine Kankri. Y9u can hug me vwhen y9u get t9 my apartment. VWe’ll eat c99kies and vwatch m9vies vwith Dirk, Dave and Karkat. Y9u’ll 6e my heatin 6lanket and y9u can cuddle me till 9blivi9n.**

**Kankri <>: Cr9nus. I deeply appreciate y9ur attempts t9 make me feel better, and they are vworking, trust me. 6ut please refrain fr9m using b9th 9ur quirks at 9nce. It is very c9nfusing t9 read.**

**Me: Oh thank fuck, it’s not just me. Can do chief. See ya later.**

**Kankri <>: Alright. Please take care 9f y9urself!!! I WILL 6e 6y later with Karkat and c99kies. **

**Me: Bless. <> **

**Kankri <>: <> **

Kurloz looked at him and chuckled, eyebrow rising. “What made you laugh so hard?” 

Cronus stuffed his phone into his pocket and grinned, snickering to himself. “Kan got his sassy pants on, perantly.”

“A once in a millennium occurrence,” Kurloz said with a sly grin and a solemn nod. Silence fell again, but it was a little more comfortable. Cronus took a left at an intersection and said,  
  
“My apartment is just up this street. You… VWanna come in? Get a towel? If Crow Boy’s back from class, he can probably give you a ride back to the café, so you don’t get sick or somethin. I’d give you a ride, but don’t think my baby vwo-would do too well.”  
  
_Your baby?_ Kurloz signed, eyebrow raising.  
  
“Yup. My baby. Harley-Davidson XA, World War Two era. Found her in the junk yard and Pops helped me fix her up. Had to replace almost everythin, from her engine to her shocks, but it vwa-was worth it. Crow Boy and D-Stri have a car, so we use that when vwe-weather is shit.” He gestured to the rain around them, as if to say _like right now._

 _Well, at least two of you are sensible,_ Kurloz signed with a smirk, chuckling as the human flipped him off.  
  
“Yeah, fuck ya too. I can still let ya freeze, asshole,” he threatened but Kurloz knew it was an empty threat. Cronus’ voice wasn’t full of malice like a threat would be, and he looked like he was worried about the tall troll. 

‘ _Honestly, the only thing that’s going to come out of this is that I have wet clothes for the next few hours, which will suck ass. Fuck, knew I shoulda packed a change of clothes._ ’ He thought, sighing through his nose.  
  
“Just… Come on,” Cronus said, apparently taking his silence as belief that he was serious on his threat. Kurloz nodded, grinning when the human turned around. He knew he’d been right. Though, if he were honest, having a towel to at least get his hair dry and a ride to the café would be appreciated.  
  
“I can get one of the others to come get me, maybe Kankri. He already knows where you live.” 

Cronus shrugged. “Vwh-Whatever. Let’s just get inside, chief.” He led them towards an unremarkable grey-brown apartment building, though it was at least thirteen stories. Fairly mid-sized for a troll apartment block, and it seemed the windows were more space out and fewer on levels that trolls tended to reside, with more windows on the levels humans resided. Trolls, through their years on Earth, had evolved to be dinural, but it was bred into them to avoid the sunlight, like aggression had been bred into Capricorns. It was why, two out of five days, Kurloz opened up shop at night instead of during the day, and one day a week stayed open until one a.m. A lot of shops in the districts that had a majority of trolls over humans kept later hours, or opened exclusively at night, and it was opposite for those that had a majority of humans. The areas that they mixed were more and more common, making troll or human majority area’s rarer and rarer. This led to shops, schools, and employment being shuffled around but it seemed to have come pretty easy to the later generations.

“I’m on the sixth floor,” Cronus was saying and Kurloz tuned back in. “Hopefully, the damn elevator ain’t broken anymore,”  
  
Kurloz just hummed and followed him inside. Cronus waved at a pretty olive-blood who was working the desk. He had arching horns, the thick bases curling back before the tips pointed downwards. The one on the left looked like it’d been chipped, or folded somehow, with how the pale-yellow bent. His hair was a mess of dreads that was held in a bun at the back of his head, and his round face was dotted with freckles and a few scars. His eyes were wide and a muddy olive, black-framed glasses perched on his nose. He blinked and waved back at him and seemed to be fighting his instincts to look down and away from Kurloz. He almost snorted.

“Serika, the elevator workin?” Cronus asked, and the olive-blood nodded, grinning a little as he focused on the human.  
  
“You betcha. Repair guys came and fixed it earlier. You’ve been gone most the day, Cro.” his voice was rolling and a little higher pitched than Kurloz expected. He couldn’t place where the troll was from, but he also couldn’t bring himself to particularly care. Cronus led him to the elevator and pressed the button. It _dinged_ a few seconds later and Kurloz was grateful he didn’t have to hunch to get inside or stand awkwardly to fit inside it. Cronus pushed the button for his floor.

“Just a vwa-warnin, D-Stri’s probably dead asleep on the couch.” Cronus said. “He’s been sick.”  
  
_I remember. You said so this morning._ Kurloz signed.  
  
“Oh, yea. Well, just thought ya’d like to know. Case ya got somethin’ against gettin sick.”

“All I need’s a fucking towel,” Kurloz said, keeping his voice low so it didn’t echo in the small space. He’d learned the hard way how loud his voice could become in enclosed spaces, and it had left his ears ringing for days. Cronus looked down at their feet and winced at the small puddle that was forming between them.  
  
“Really hope no one else is in a hurry,” he muttered.  
  
The elevator stopped and let them out at the sixth floor and Kurloz looked around. The ceilings were fairly high, which was to be expected, and the halls were surprisingly wide, or at least wider than he expected. He could have held his arms out in the middle of the hall and leaned from side to side and almost fall over before he hit a wall.

The hall was relatively boring, with a light cream color on the walls and grey doors that were decorated with brass numbers. There were occasionally photos of plants or places on the walls, but nothing very interesting. Cronus led him down the hall and took a right, then stopped outside his door, where _612_ was in brass just above the peephole _._

Cronus knocked before taking out his keys and opening it, leading Kurloz inside. Immediately, he saw a couch with a pale, blonde human he knew to be Dirk Strider. Or, the cocoon of blankets that was wrapped around him, with his near platinum blonde hair peeking out. There was an old but comfortable looking arm chair, a coffee table littered with books, papers, pens and pencils, and a TV/gaming area set up. It was a fairly tall shelving unit that had an X-Box and three controllers a shelf beneath the TV and box, with games scattered across the other shelves, and something that looked like a seagull. He bent and untied his shoes, which thankfully weren’t too wet inside, but his socks were. Cronus toed his off and flipped them upside down so the water would drain out.

A few wooden boxes were stacked near it, holding books that ranged from manga to what looked like biographies on classical composers to forensic science. The kitchen seemed to have been merged with the main room, a small wall there in an attempt to give it its own “space”. There was a table that looked pretty roughed up, and mismatched chairs around it. The stove and oven seemed to be one thing, with a fridge that had various stickie notes, pieces of art, and little notes stuck to it. And what could possibly be a shuriken. Kurloz wasn’t sure. There was a dishwasher, and some counter space, enough to cook and leave ingredients out, and cabinets that went from over the sink to the fridge, which was on the other wall.

There was a hall, he assumed, that lead to their rooms and bathroom. Kurloz looked down at his and Cronus’ feet. They were currently dripping all over the wood floor. There was some carpet, but it looked well-worn and loved. He noticed a few bean bag chairs pressed up against the wall, probably pulled out when there wasn’t enough space for guests to sit. The walls were the same cream as the halls, but there were posters of bands and movies, paintings, and black and white and color photos that covered every inch possible. There were still sections of the walls that were glaringly obvious, though.  
  
“Oi, Dirk, where y’at?”

“Megnmh…” came the muffled, annoyed noise.

“Gonna take that as “Not Dead,” then.” Cronus said with an amused grin. He turned to Kurloz. “Wait here, I’ll be right back with a towel for ya.”  
  
“Who the fuck you talking to, Cro?” Dirk asked, voice still muffled by the blanket burrito.  
  
“Kurloz, and I’ll explain later. Shut up an’ sleep, dork.” Cronus said, but his voice was gentle, teasing. He gave Kurloz one last stern look before he practically ran for the hall. He stopped by the bathroom first and grabbed three towels, two for Kurloz and one for himself, and went back to the living room. Kurloz was right where he left him, arms crossed and taking in the scenery.

“Here,” he said, tossing the Capricorn the towels. He caught them well enough and nodded his thanks, starting to towel off his sopping wet clothes and hair, careful of his horns. Cronus nodded and went to his room.

Kurloz watched him go and shrugged, pulling out his phone and texting Kankri.  
  
**Me: OI. KAN. CAN YOU COME AND GET ME? I’M AT YOUR MOIRAILS APARTMENT AND I REALLY DON’T FEEL LIKE WALKING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FUCKING SHOP IN THE RAIN.**

**Little Red: It’s Kankri and yes, I can. Are y9u tw9 safe? 9r, at least, n9t currently suffering fr9m hyp9thermia? Cr9nus has a habit 9f n9t listening to any9ne, even when they’re right. I kn9w y9ur c9ld bl99d will give y9u m9re leeway than Cr9nus when it c9mes t9 this, 6ut even s9. Y9u’re my friend, and I w9rry a69ut y9u plat9nically.**

**Me: YEAH, HE’S FINE, SO AM I. GOING TO GET CHANGED, I ASSUME. IF YOU’RE WORRIED BOUT HIM, TAKE OFF THE REST OF THE DAY. HE’S YOUR MOIRAIL, AND I’M NOT ABOUT TO LET YOU WORRY YOUR HORNS OFF FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS. CALL IT A SICK DAY, YOU HAVE YET TO MISS A DAY OF WORK.**

**Little Red: Really? Thank y9u, Kurl9z! I can w9rk later 9n an9ther day if y9u need me t9, I’m n9t a69ut t9 just take advantage 9f this with9ut s9me kind 9d rec9mpense!! That w9uld 6e c9mpletely th9ughtless, n9t t9 menti9n rude and disc8urt9us t9 y9u and the 9thers.**

**Me: HOLY SHIT VANTAS. CALM DOWN. I MAY NOT EXACTLY LIKE AMPORA, BUT HE’S YOUR MOIRAIL. CALM THE FUCK DOWN, MOTHERFUCKER. YOU’RE ALLOWED TO TAKE DAYS WHEN YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR QUADRANTS.**

Were it anyone else, Kurloz would have called them out on bullshit excuses and trying to butter him up or cover up that they didn’t care. He’d have probably accused Kankri of that when they were younger, when he would use his social justice schtick to cover up how little he actually cared. Kurloz wasn’t entirely sure _what_ happened, but Kankri changed from long-winded sermons and was essentially what humans called a Social Justice Warrior but in a very bad sense. He took issue with everything and everyone, no matter who or what it was. But, something changed, and he toned down his preachy tendencies and “trigger warnings”. He was still fairly long winded and would practically trip over his feet to apologize if he thought someone was offended, but he would also turn in an instant to defend someone else. It was like verbal whiplash when that happened.

 **Little Red: Right, I ap9l9gize. I will 6e there s99n. I h9pe y9u d9n’t mind having wet cl9thes f9r the next few h9urs. Mr. Eg6ert 9ffered t9 get y9u s9me cl9thes… 9h, and P9rrim is n9w d9ubled 9ver laughing. I’m s9rry, please excuse me Kurl9z. I need t9 g9 6e sure she d9esn’t fall 9ver and that she understands her laughter is quite rude. I will 6e there in thirty minutes, if n9t a little l9nger. I d9n’t kn9w h9w l9ng this will 6e.**

**Me: OKAY. DON’T CHEW HER EAR OFF.**

**Little Red: I will n9t. I will 6e there in thirty minutes at m9st.**

“Kurloz?” Dirk’s voice brought his attention to the cocoon.

He looked up and there was the pale, if currently flushed, and he wasn’t wearing his shades, for once. His hair was limp, but he at least looked like he managed to shower. He looked like he was kicking the last of the fall cold season, though he looked utterly miserable.

“What happened to you, brother?” Kurloz asked, drying himself off a little more as he went over. 

“Sick,” Dirk muttered. “Though, a lot better than this morning. You got a ride back to the café or wherever it is you’re headin?” his voice was scratchy, but he looked at least aware of what was around him. Kurloz crouched a good foot away from him, arms resting on his knees.  
  
“You look like hell. And Kanny’s comin out to get me, don’t worry about that.”  
  
Dirk sat up more and rolled his neck, cracking it and sighing in satisfaction. Kurloz’s nose wrinkled at the smell of sweat and sickness that was coming off him, even with something flowery and sweet trying to get rid of it.  
  
“You smell like hell too. Jegus, motherfucker. What’d you fucking catch?”  
  
“Dunno. Cold or something, most likely. Sucks ass though,” he rubbed his face, groaning and blinked. His eyes were almost gold-orange in color, which had always fascinated Kurloz, enough to keep his interest to get to know the Strider. He and his brother were infuriatingly stoic and smug a good ninety percent of the time, but they were good guys. It amused him most when strangers interacted with them at the café, either in an attempt to flirt or crack that shield.  
  
“Well, you aren’t dead, so there’s that.” He offered with a faint smile.  
  
Dirk chuckled and shrugged. “I guess. So, what’re you doing with Cronus? Last I knew, you two couldn’t stand to be in the same room without fighting. And suddenly you come in from the rain like star-crossed lovers trying to restrain themselves from jumping their bones cause the stern father figure’s right there when they get in.” 

Kurloz couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of him. It was too loud, it made Dirk wince, but he was laughing too hard to really lower his volume.  
  
“H-Holy shit, Dirk,” he finally managed, voice softer, wiping purple tears away. “That… That is about the furthest thing I can imagine. Ampora and I just figured out our petty bullshit was just that, petty bullshit. You spend too much time with your baby bro and his kitty, and his shitty rom-coms.”

“Everyone’s a critic,” Dirk said with a shrug before his smile disappeared and he looked serious, leaning forward so there was less space between them. “Now, I like you Makara. You’re an okay bro to have around, and I’ve gotten to know you pretty well over the last two years. But, I will tell you this. I’ve known Cronus longer. I’ve seen that kid through some fucked up shit. So has Kanny. He may be an asshole, but don’t delude yourself into thinking he’s just that. And I hope for his sake you’re not interested in some kind of pitch or ash quadrant, or whatever the proper name is.” 

Kurloz blinked and sighed heavily, one hand coming to his temple. “Dirk. I’ve said this four times, now fucking five. I. Am. Not. Interested. In. Kismesis. With. Cronus. Nor would we need an auspistice. We’re platonic assholes who are trying to be less assholish to each other. Clear, motherfucker?”  
  
Dirk stared at him for several long seconds, unblinking, before he nodded and leaned away. His small grin was back in place.  
  
“Good. Now, you want to use our dryer while you wait for Kanny? I doubt your clothes are very comfortable.”  
  
Kurloz looked at his clothes and made a face. “I’m half tempted to just close shop early today and say fuck it, stay open another few hours tomorrow instead.” 

“I mean,” Cronus said, walking in. He was dressed in black sweatpants and a light blue hoodie with a faded logo, and a new bandanna around his neck, this one white. He had a bundle in his arms. “It’s supposed to rain the whole damn day and into tomorrow mornin. Here,” he tossed the bundle, which turned out to be clothes, to Kurloz. He barely managed to catch them before the ball completely unfolded, which would have resulted in clothes everywhere. “Ya look like ya need something warm. I can toss your shit in the dryer and Kanny can bring it to vwork tomorrow for ya.”  
  
Kurloz looked at the clothes, and really, they weren’t anything special. Just a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a plain red shirt. It took him a minute to realize it was a peace offering, of sorts. He nodded and stood with easy grace.  
  
“You got a ablutions block? Or want to strip here? Second one’ll cost you,” he grinned as Cronus flipped him off.

“Yeah, it’s down the hall, first door on your right. Door on the left is the vwasher-dryer in the closet.” Cronus said and sat next to Dirk, pressing a hand against his forehead and frowning. “Well, ya don’t have a fever at least,” he sighed as Kurloz went to get changed.  
  
Dirk sighed and leaned into his hand, eyes closing. “Yeah, maybe not. But damn if your hand doesn’t feel good.”  
  
Cronus hummed and ran his fingers through his friend’s hair as Dirk leaned his forehead against the back of the couch. The window was cracked open, curtain drawn, letting air circulate and the sound of the pouring rain fill the room.  
  
“Dave home?” he asked, and Dirk nodded.  
  
“Yeah, he’s asleep though. Exhausted from class and shit. Plus, Kankri is coming to pick Kurloz up.”  
  
“Mnhm. Kanny may be bringing Karkat with him, should I tell him not to?” 

“Nah, they’ll cuddle and be disgustingly adorable together, regardless.”

Cronus snorted and nodded. “Fair nough.” He paused, then said, “Do ya think it’s vweird that a thirty-year-old, a twenty-four-year-old and a twenty-one-year-old share an apartment?” 

Dirk blinked slowly at him, head tilted to the side. “Not… really? I mean, we’re not frat guys and we’ve been living together since you were in like… college, not grad school. You were, what… nineteen? I was twenty-five and Dave was sixteen… Yeah, that’s not that weird. Dave’s my baby bro, you’re like… my best friend. I knew you’d be from the first day we met.”  
  
“I answered your ad in the paper for a third roommate, so I didn’t have to suffer the dorms,” Cronus reminded him. “And ya took me in without a second’s hesitation the second I said I could cook and sing and vwasn’t a serial murderer or rapist.”

“And I told you then, I knew we’d be best friends.” 

“Stop talkin, ya gonna strain your throat from all your ramblin.” Cronus said, but he was grinning, fingers still carding through Dirk’s hair.

“That how you motherfuckers got grouped together?” Kurloz asked, coming towards them, holding his sopping wet clothes in a towel. The sweatpants were too short and stopped around his shins, but the shirt seemed to fit well enough, if a little snug.  
  
“Yup,” Dirk said, head rolling to look at Kurloz. “Huh. You change pretty fast.”  
  
He just shrugged and held the towel, looking awkward. “The fuck do you want me to do with this? It’s my socks, shirt and pants.”

“Here,” Cronus got up and went over to him, taking the bundle. “I put ya jacket in the dryer but didn’t turn it on yet. It good vwith this stuff?”  
  
Kurloz nodded. “Should be. Haven’t had an issue before.”

Cronus just nodded and went to the hall, opening the door and then opening the dryer’s door, tossed the bundle inside and set the timer for twenty minutes.  
  
“That should dry them,” he said, shutting it and turning it on. A dull, steady _dntkdtnkdtnkdntk_ started up.

“Soooo…” Dirk said, sitting up fully and looking at the TV. “Wanna play a few rounds of Super Smash?”

Kurloz grinned. “Sure. If you motherfuckers don’t mind me destroying you.”

The smirk Cronus gives him is equal parts challenging, assholish and trollish. “Fucking bring it, asshole.” 

They set up the game and chose their characters. For the next thirty minutes, it was drawn out fight after drawn out fight. Kurloz managed to knock Sheik off-screen, causing Dirk to lose as Cronus went for a dive bomb with Falco only for Link to “stab” him enough in rapid fire, so fast that Cronus could swear Kurloz was button smashing. He near K.Oed through sheer force and when Link left him to grab an item, grabbed a fucking mallet and finished the job.  
  
“ _How_.” Dirk demanded, staring, dumbstruck at the screen.

“I’m better than you motherfuckers is how,” Kurloz said smugly.

“You’re a cocky asshole. I won three of those rounds,” Cronus snapped, making Kurloz pat his hair patronizingly.  
  
“Yes, and that was three out of ten. I won six times. Dirk barely managed to get his own win.”

Cronus batted his hand away but not very hard, grumbling as he stood and went to the hall to check on his clothes. He’d heard the buzzer go off but hadn’t wanted to pause the game. He pulled them out, and thankfully they were dry, the extra ten minutes seemed to get rid of any remaining weird-not-quite-damp-not-quite-dry feeling their dryer was prone to. When he walked back over the couch, Dirk was using Kurloz’s lap as a foot rest, much to Kurloz’s confusion from his expression.  
  
“Oi, Makara,” Cronus dumped his clothes on his head, smirking just a little when Kurloz had to struggled so not to get them caught on his horns. “They’re dry. Go change unless you vwant to wear my clothes the rest of the day.”  
  
The troll stood, knocking Dirk’s legs off of him as he did, and nodding his thanks to Cronus before he went to the trap to get dressed in his own, much better fitting, clothes.  
  
“So, what ya vwant for supper?” he asked Dirk, taking Kurloz’s spot as he checked his phone. Dirk grunted as he pulled himself upright again and shrugged.  
  
“Anything’s fine with me. Maybe fish?”  
  
“Ya think you can stomach that, chief?”

Dirk nodded. “Honestly, if it were anyone else’s cooking, I’d have said hell no. I’d doubt I could even taste it. But with how much spice and shit you put on our food? Yeah, I think I can handle it.”  
  
“Hmn.” Cronus started running his free hand through his hair, scratching a little at his scalp. “May have some leftover gumbo. I gotta feed five guys, not just three.”  
  
“Oh yeah…”  
  
**Kankri <>: Cr9nus, I’m s9 s9rry that it’s taken me s9 l9ng t9 get t9 y9ur apartment. I was caught up in a c9nversati9n with P9rrim and g9t sidetracked. I’m heading upstairs n9w, thankfully the elevat9r w9rks. I seri9usly h9pe that y9u and Kurl9z didn’t tear each 9ther apart. I als9 6r9ught Karkat with me. **

**Me: Hey chief!! Nah, vwe’re good. Dried his shit for him so he vwouldn’t get sick, I’m clean and vwarm, no vworries. Dirk’s feelin better too, so may reheat the gumbo or just make new stuff vwith the old since I gotta feed all five of us.  
**

**Kankri <>: 9h, I wish y9u’d t9ld me! I c9uld have st9pped at the st9re f9r ingredients!  
**

**Me: Ehh, it’s fine, don’t vworry bout it, Kankri. Besides, I’d rather get them myself, you know? See y’all in a few. <>**

**Kankri <>: Alright, I supp9se y9u’re right. See y9u in a few. <> **

Kurloz came out at that moment, bare feet not making a sound on the floor. The only thing that marked that he’d left the bathroom was the sound of the door opening and closing and that Cronus had been listening for him.

“Heya chief. Clothes a’right?”  
  
Kurloz nodded, holding the folded bundle of borrowed clothes out for Cronus to take, which he did.  
  
“Kanny’s gonna be here in a few, he’s got a key to the place. He’ll take you back to the café and you can do vwhatever it is you do.” He was smirking a bit though, so Kurloz didn’t feel the need to snap back at him. “I’m gonna go check on Crow boy and make sure he’s still alive.” 

Dirk nodded, yawning. As he went down the hall, the locked clicked and Kankri and Karkat walked in. Karkat was in a black hoodie and grey jeans, since he favored the darker colors from when he was a wriggler and had to wear his clan sign all the time. He looked awful, deep bags under his eyes, the grey speckled with red as he matured. His shoulders were hunched a little, as if he were trying to conceal his lack of height by making himself look bulkier. He was all lean muscle, compact and strong. He just didn’t look it. He was barely five foot ten, which for a troll was almost laughably short.  
  
“Hey,” he said, nodding at Kurloz and Dirk. “Where the fuck is Dave?”  
  
“In his room, Cro’s checking up on him now.” Dirk said. Karkat just nodded at him and made a beeline for his matesprit.  
  
Kankri sighed and put a tin of cookies on the coffee table, saying,  
  
“Those are for _everyone_ , Dirk, I don’t want to see half of them gone before I get back. Kurloz, are you ready?”

He nodded and waved to Dirk, who gave him a small salute, before following Kankri out to the hall and towards the elevators. He could tell the shorter troll was itching to talk to him, by the way he was gnawing his lip and how he tapped the side of his leg, counting off points. He didn’t seem to realize he was doing it, which was always entertaining.  
  
_You got something to talk about, motherfucker?_ Kurloz finally signed when they were heading towards Kankri’s car. The rain had let up to a drizzle, and really Kurloz could walk back to the café if he remembered the way.

Kankri opened the door for him and Kurloz ducked his head as he got in, smiling a little in appreciation when he found the seat was already most reclined for him so he didn’t fucked up the roof with his horns. Kankri’s car gave _him_ plenty of head room, considering he was six feet tall, but he also had nubby horns. Even if his car was made by trolls _for_ trolls, it didn’t help when a trolls horns were too big to fit inside without a sun roof or convertible. He took his seat and buckled himself in, knowing Kankri’s insistence, and then moved the seat back a little further, relaxing. His horns added a good eleven inches to his height, and they were sharp. They could really fuck up a car’s interior. 

“Alright,” Kankri said as they finally started driving. “I know that you and Cronus don’t get along on the best of days and I will admit I was worried you were pitch flirting with him for a while. That aside, I also have to thank you for going after him this afternoon because if you hadn’t, he would have probably gotten very ill. Do you think that you have changed your opinion on him at all?” 

Kurloz was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. Finally, he said, “I know I still don’t like him very much. But, we figured out our bullshit was just that. Bullshit. So, we decided to start over and if this time around we don’t like each other, then, as he said, “Our combined assholishness was too much for the universe to handle.” Or something along those lines.” He shrugged. “I…am going to try not to be such a complete ass to him, so long as he does the same.”

Kankri gave him a small but happy smile and nodded. “That’s all I can ask for. Well, there’s quite a lot I could ask for, but that would mean going over your boundaries and checking my privilege and I don’t think either of us really want to get into _that_ conversation.”  
  
Kurloz just chuckled, grinning. “You’ve changed quite a bit, motherfucker. I remember when you’d talk people’s ears almost off in conversation and go on and on about trigger warnings and shit.”  
  
“Yes, well. We all grow up and change, Kurloz,” he said.

Kurloz grinned a little and nodded. “Yeah, guess we do.”

The rest of the ride was filled with silence, but comfortable silence.  
  
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Kankri asked as they pulled to the curb.  
  
“Mnh, think I’m going to send everyone home for the day and stay open later tomorrow.” 

Kankri nodded and smiled a little. “That sounds like a good idea. Karkat said Gamzee was fine when I picked him up, but if you feel the need,”  
  
“I can just ride my own bike, motherfucker. Don’t worry.” Kurloz said softly with an easy grin. “Thanks for the ride, little red.” And before Kankri could get too angry at him, Kurloz laughed and practically unfolded himself from the car with ease. He waved and headed into the shop.  
  
Porrim was helping Jane sweep and mop as Mr. Egbert cleared out the display case. He could hear Aranea and Meulin in the kitchen, and the rest of the bakery was void of customers.  
  
He whistled two notes to get everyone’s attention and signed, _Finish up what chores you have and then get going home. We’re closing early today, but we’ll stay open later tomorrow._

Nods all around, as well as more than a few wide grins.

"You’re the best, Kurloz,” Jane said, looking relieved. He looked a little closer and noticed the bags under her eyes, hidden by her glasses frames.  
  
_Go home and get some rest,_ He signed, giving her a small smile.  
  
He went to help the girls in the kitchen, so they didn’t have to finish all on their own when Porrim called,  
  
“Hey, Kurly! Where’s your jacket?”

He stopped and looked down. 

“Fuck,” he muttered. “I must have left it at Cronus’,”  
  
“You were at Cronus’ apartment?” Aranea asked, trying to hide a sly smile.  
  
“Yes, I walked him back, he dried my clothes, including my jacket. And before you start, _yes_ , I was borrowing some clothes, so I wasn’t sitting there fucking naked. Gossips, all of you,” he huffed, eyes rolling.  
  
“Aww, Purrloz!” Meulin said, looking pleased. “This means he’ll _have_ to bring it to you tomorrow! Or the next day! I wonder if he’ll remember it or accidentally forget it, so he has to keep coming back-!”  
  
_Meulin, this isn’t a rom-com. You’ve spent too much time in your journal again._ He sighed as she pouted, but that wouldn’t take away the mischievous light in her eyes.

“Sure, it isn’t, Purrloz. You two hated each other, but if you’re walking him home it means that you don’t hate him nearly as much.”  
  
_I never said I liked him!_

“Mnhm,” she purred. “I never said you did either. I just know you don’t do pitch very well. But,” she dragged the word out, sashaying closer with a large smile pulling into a toothy grin, “That means you don’t _NOT_ like him,” 

Kurloz could only blink stupidly at his ex-matesprit for a few moments before he took a deep breath and forced himself to sign slowly, _Meulin. I. Do. NOT. Like. Cronus. We mutually decided to stop being assholes to each other. He’ll bring my jacket by tomorrow. Things will progress as normal._

Meulin merely gave him a cat-like grin, almost like the cat from Alice in Wonderland or whatever the fuck it was called and shrugged before she went off to finish her own chores.

_-_-_-_ 

He didn’t bring it the next day. He didn’t even show up the next day. Kurloz kept himself busy but even he couldn’t deny when every time a customer came in he looked up, waiting to see the smug grin. It didn’t happen. Kankri called in sick the same day, which he normally would have been suspicious of, but the mutant-blood sounded like he’d taken his own damn sickle to his throat, plus he wouldn’t call out unless he was seriously ill.

Kurloz kept an eye out for the rest of the week for Cronus Ampora, feeling something build in the base of his chest each time he failed to show. He didn’t want to bother Kankri, seeing as Karkat texted Kurloz to tell him Kankri had a bad fever and wouldn’t be able to make it into work for the rest of the week. The others knew he was bothered by the absence of the greaser, but thankfully didn’t bring it up. Through the weekend, there was still no Cronus Ampora, though Kankri did come in on Sunday for a little while to help out. He mostly stuck to cleaning, though he looked less like hell.

Monday came and went, the following week. Kurloz was half tempted to shake Kankri to get an answer and had to stop in the middle of frosting a cake to ask himself _why._

' _Why the fuck do I care? I don’t like Cronus, I’m just worried about my jacket. Porrim gave it to me, I don’t want it to get ruined. She’d have my horns. And he isn’t dead, or else Kankri would have told me. It would have been all over the papers, and the University would have sent out an email talking about “the loss to the community” or some shit. So. Why am I worried?_ ’  
  
“Purrloz?” He jolted when he heard Meulin’s voice and tilted his head a little.  
  
“Are you okay?” she asked, and he sighed, shrugging, setting the piping bag down. Thankfully, he’d just been doing a crumb shield for the fondant, nothing delicate. “Is it about Cronus?”  
  
She knew him too well. He just nodded, looking down as he moved away from the counter to sit at one of the tables, resting his head in his hands.  
  
“Oh, Purrloz. I’m sure he’s fine. And I’m sure he has your jacket. Kankri doesn’t seem too worried about him, or well, excessively worried. If you’re really, really bothered, you could ask Karkat, couldn’t you? He’s matesprit’s with Dave, and he lives with Cronus and Dirk, too right?”  
  
_How do you know that?_ He lifted his head to sign, looking at her in confusion. 

“Oh! Well, Kankri told me that’s how he got sick! He caught it from Dirk. I mean, other than the obvious reason why Karkat and Dave are always together cause they’re matesprit’s and they and their friends are in here almost every other day. You also could just ask Kankri what’s wrong, couldn’t you? Or are you trying to avoid him for some silly reason? And that silly reason being connected to Cronus?” 

Kurloz started to sign then dropped his hands and shrugged uselessly. Meulin sighed and patted his shoulder.  
  
“It’s okay, Purrloz. I’m sure whatever weirdness you’re thinking and tossing around your pan will clear up. Did you take your medicine?”  
  
He nodded, letting out a long sigh through his nose. _I’m just… Confused. I don’t know what the fuck to think about him. I shouldn’t like him, hell for two and a half years, I thought I hated him! He pissed me off SO MUCH. But just... Even I don’t want him dead._

 _Oh, I’m sure he’s not dead silly._ Meulin signed back, grinning. _He might just be wrapped up in work. Did you know he works at the Natural History Museum? I didn’t either until I went with Nepeta over the weekend on my day off._

He just blinked at her and shook his head. Before he could come up with an answer, Mr. Egbert’s voice came through the open door to the kitchen,    
  
“Cronus! Long time no see!”   

Kurloz was on his feet before Meulin could blink and was striding out to the main area. He stopped as soon as he reached the other, looking down at him. Cronus Ampora looked horrible. His skin was paler than it should be, his eyes had deep bags under them that rivaled Karkat’s, and he smelled strongly of bad coffee, sweat, and bones. He was also wearing Kurloz’s jacket.  
  
“What the fuck happened to you, motherfucker?” he asked, a little incredulous.  
  
“Jegus Cronus,” Karkat’s voice cut in before Cronus could speak. He walked up behind the human, looking him over. “I thought Harley was exaggerating when she said you looked like death. You look like fucking death took you for a drag, ripped you apart then put your fucking guts back in wrong and didn’t bother to fucking stitch you back up.”  
  
“Heh, yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck and yawned, taking a step back so he could talk to both of them at once. “Been a hell of week. Had to finish all my papers and take four, four-hour long midterms. One vwas to reconstruct a buncha skeletons and figure out how they died. That vwas brutal. I’ve barely left campus, really.” He yawned hugely, cracking his jaw and shaking his head, then looked at Kurloz and winced. “Eessh, sorry chief.” He started to take off the leather jacket, holding it out for Kurloz to take. “No need to look at me like you’re gonna claw my face off.”  
  
Kurloz blinked and took the jacket, pulling it on. “Thanks for bringing it back, Ampora. Now I don’t need a reason,”

Cronus blinked and snorted, giggling a little. The sound was almost cute.  
  
‘ _Wait, what?_ ’ he resisted the urge to shake his head. Mr. Egbert gently moved Kurloz aside as Cronus put in his order – blood orange oolong tea with a chocolate chip cookie – and Karkat grabbed the human’s shoulder.  
  
“Oi, Kurloz!” he blinked and looked up just as Cronus put something in his palm, sleepy smile on his face and… Was he blushing? “In case ya ever get worried bout me again,” and he had the audacity to wink with a smarmy smirk before he followed Karkat outside.  
  
He looked down. In his hand, scrawled on a piece of notebook paper that had been folded over and over into a small square that he had to unfold, was his phone number. He crunched it in his hand and stuffed it into his coat pocket, huffing. He ignored the look Mr. Egbert gave him and went back to the kitchen, sidestepping Meulin to go hang up his jacket. He paused when his sensitive nose caught something very unfamiliar on his jacket. It wasn’t detergent. It was spices, leather, something like fish, and very faintly of bones and dust. Underneath that was his own scent, sugar, bread, and a heady musky smell.

He didn’t realize he’d been smelling the inside of the jacket until he heard a muffled squeal from Meulin and a low laugh from Porrim. He growled and hung it up, stomping back over to the cake with the intent to finish his work. It worked partly. He couldn’t get the smell of spices and leather out of his palette the rest of the day, no matter what he did. 

Later, after he’d gone home to his own apartment, Gamzee draped over his lap, dead asleep as they watched some comedian or another, he turned the piece of paper over and over in his hand, carefully folding it along the lines before unfolding again. He’d turned it into a crane, then a fish before staring at the worn-down numbers. He added the number under _Pain in my Horns (Ampora)_ and tucked the paper and his phone back into his jacket. When he was in his own bed, staring at the ceiling, he couldn’t get the image of Cronus’ flustered blush and sleepy giggle out of his head. He ignored the weird feeling in his chest and just tried to sleep. He didn’t get very much.


	2. In Which Bets Are Made and A Moirail is Needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been two months since Cronus got back from his dig and sorted out his issues with Kurloz. He finds out some more news, and Jade is brought up to speed. Kurloz and Cronus are still oblivious. Kankri is a good moirail and Cronus is a mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you guys are enjoying my attempts at plot and shenanigans! Thank you to everyone who's commented and left kudos, and just read this mess. As always, I don't have a beta, so please let me know if there are any glaring plot holes, grammar issues or things aren't formatted correctly. If anyone reads my other works, I will be updating those soon as well! Summer's in swing, and I've gotten sick since I came home from Uni, though I'm getting better. Anyways, that's enough from me, on with the story!  
> No, wait, I lied.  
> DISCLAIMER! If you STILL don't know that Homestuck is the brainchild of Andrew Hussie, I cannot help you. OC's, as always, belong to me.  
> Okay, now on with the story!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!  
> -RR

The room was calm, quiet, aside from the occasional scrape of a fork against plastic and the faint scratching of pen on paper, the owner trying to get the ink to flow once more. He was looking over notes he’d taken the day before, his makeshift desk littered with papers and old pens. His hair was hanging in his face and he had sauce on his cheek from where he’d missed his mouth in his absent eating.

There was the sound of claws clicking on the ground and he barely looked up in time to see a very large white shepherd running towards him, neon green collar around his neck with large black block letters on the back of it stating, **BEC HARLEY** as its name. The dog had barely reached him when a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders in a fierce hug.  
  
“Cronus!” He flinched at the volume and at the sudden appearance before he let a grin take over his face. He squeezed her arms back, for lack of a proper hug.  
  
“Heya, vwild woman. Where y’at?” 

The wild woman huffed and let him go, only to spin his wheelie chair around to face her. Her hands planted on the armrests and she leaned in a little too close for comfort, but then Cronus had six months to get used to her invasions of personal space.

“My name is Jade, Cronus,” she said, though she was grinning at him. “How would you like it if I called you fish man?”  
  
“Shit, that’d be pretty funny,” he chuckled, poking her nose to get her to back away.

Doctor Jade Harley was a tall, lean Polynesian woman with a near mane of black curly hair. At the current moment, she was wearing her favorite black hoodie that had a neon blue squid on its front, dusty jeans and bright green converse. Her glasses were a little askew, and her bright green eyes were practically a beacon. She had masters in genetics and chemistry, and PhD’s in archeology and physics. She had been certified as a genius at the age of ten, and as a child, took to the sciences like a fish to water. She was twenty-three and enjoyed school and work more than most would have believed. And at the current moment, she was frowning at him though her eyes were shining with mischief.  
  
“I haven’t seen you since the dig!” she said, going to another “desk” and getting her own chair, dragging it behind her.

“Harley, that vwas less than two months ago.” Cronus pointed out as he bent to pet Bec. “Sides, thought you vwe-were tired of me.”

“Mnhmm…Not really. I missed you and your cooking and talking theory with you over what we found out at the dig,” she said with a happy grin, plopping in the chair. “Besides you flirting with me for the first week and a half, yeah, it was pretty fun. I’m surprised you weren’t flirting with more people.” She giggled, wriggling her eyebrows. “I know you took a few people for a ride, if the noises I heard from your tent were any indication.”  
  
“Okay, that was maybe four people, first. Second, fuck off.” He grumbled.

Jade just laughed, snorting and loud. It bounced around the expansive archives room that Cronus had claimed as his territory. It was filled with books, scrolls and shelves with boxes that contained skeletons of various creatures in various states of completion. A few other museum employees wandered here and there, but generally kept to themselves unless they needed help finding something. He liked the solitude it gave him, and how he could finish classwork on the days he didn’t have much to do. The internship he was part of, through the master’s program, gave him exposure to troll culture and some work to complete. 

By the end of the semester, he would have to present a preliminary paper for review to his aiding faculty member. They would then talk about what he’d done and where his project would go from there. The dig he’d gone on with Jade had been the start of that project. He was drawing the connections between human culture and troll culture, with relation to the hemospectrum. Jade had quickly become a good friend of his on the dig and helped him when he’d been stuck.

“But seriously Cronus,” she was saying, snapping him back to the present. “How’re you doing? Everything alright with your baby bro and old man?" 

He smiled and nodded, scratching Bec’s ears. The massive dog lolled his head to the side, tongue hanging out as he gave Cronus a doggy smile, appeased.

“Yeah, they’re fine. Pops been vworkin hard with physical therapy to get his knee back up to his usual standards after he got hit, and Eri’s… Well Eridan’s had some trouble at school but Pops said he vwent back on his meds. He should be okay.”

“I’m glad to hear about your dad recovering from his car crash, and I’m sorry about Eridan. But I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Her boundless optimism was infectious. Cronus just gave a small shrug.  
  
“I hope so. So, how long ya gonna be in town this time?”  
  
“Well,” she dragged the word out, grinning. “I actually decided to hang up my adventuring hat for a while, sit down and write some papers, maybe get a job that doesn’t rely on stupid grants.”

“They cut your grant for your expedition, didn’t they?” Cronus guessed.  
  
Jade crossed her arms and fumed, her scowl fairly intimidating. “They’re such assholes! They think that two months in “more than enough time” to properly set my team up with the locals, get to know the terrain and then move right along into digging! That’s not how it works, especially when I’m in an area that is troll concentrated! I’ve been there before, but it’s rural and trolls by nature don’t trust very easily. Then, bring in the fact that I’m human and looking to poke around their ruins?! Yeah, that would take _at least_ a month and half to get them to trust me enough to lead me into the jungle to the right area _and_ trust that I was only going to research and not take anything! I needed a year! I hoped for another six months! I got two on a cut budget that wouldn’t have gotten me anywhere NEAR the amount of supplies necessary! I would have found out fucking diddly squat!”

“Vwhoa, slow down wild woman,” Cronus said, frowning. “It’s a’ight. This will give you time to really get their attention, your papers are fuckin amazing. They won’t know vwhat hit ‘em.”

Jade let out a long breath and nodded, leaning back in the chair, rubbing at her eyes. “Yeah… You’re right. I really wish I could find a sponsor that would _understand_ all of this but it’s just… Aughh,” she groaned, flopping backwards on her chair. “So _frustrating."_  

Cronus looked at his phone, then his notes. He’d done a pretty good chunk for the day, and he was done for the day. It was four in the afternoon, meaning The Skeleton Bakery and Café would be open.  
  
“Vwanna get your mind off those jackasses and get some kick ass hot cocoa?” he asked. “They like dogs, so Bec could come in." 

Jade perked up at the mention of hot chocolate and leaned forward, grinning ear to ear. “Hell yes. Why didn’t you say anything sooner, doofus?”  
  
“Cause ya vwere rantin. Do I look like an idiot?” he blinked, then added, “Don’t answer.”  
  
Jade just cracked up and stood, pulling Bec’s lead out of her hoodie pocket and clipping it to his collar. “Lead the way, Not Idiot Cronus.”

He flipped her off and gathered his things, putting them in his bag before leading her out of the archives room. He waved to his boss and signed out, then led her out the back door instead of through all the halls to the front door. As they walked, she talked about the papers she was planning on writing, about the findings of her most recent dig that he’d been a part of, and maybe even delving into physics again for a change of pace. He caught her up on the recent events at the school and the stupid things his friends had gotten up to, as well as his own “drama” with Kurloz.  
  
“Wait, this was the guy that you said wore skeleton make up and was too tall? And was a bigger asshole than Karkat the first time I met him, right? And smelled ridiculously good the few times you got in each other’s faces and almost got into a physical fight before you backed down? Was that because you were afraid of what he’d do and what you wouldn’t be able to feel, or because of your past, anxiety and general beliefs?" 

“Jesus, vwhen’d you become Rose?”

Jade just grinned and put her arms behind her back, leaning so she was next to him. “Soooo, am I right?” 

“No, you’re not,” he said shortly, rolling his eyes. “Bout a month ago, we figured our bullshit out. Then, like a fucking _idiot_ who was sleep deprived and didn’t know what the shit I vwas doin, I gave him my number!” Cronus ran his hands through his ungreased hair. “Like, Jesus!! The guy _just_ stopped hatin me! I vwa-wasn’t planning on sleepin with him either, no matter how pitch everyone thinks we were. I mean, Kanny, Karkat and Dave were all talkin bout how worried he was cause hell vweek hit and I didn’t return his jacket and-“

“Cronus!” Jade said sharply, interrupting him. He jumped a little and blinked, looking at her.  
  
“What?!”

“Slow down, and take a deep breath, like me.” She forced him to stop and stare at her. A few people had to move around them, but she only had eyes for her friend. Bec sat patiently at her feet. “In,” she inhaled and after a beat, he copied her. “Out,” she slowly exhaled after ten seconds. Cronus copied once more. His breath smelled like spice and shrimp. “Good. Again.” 

She kept that up until she was sure he was completely calm and said, slowly, “Now. Explain to me what happened.” 

Cronus took one more deep breath before he asked weakly, “All two and a half years of it?” 

“No, just what happened the day you figured your bullshit out, the one with his jacket and why he would be worried.”  
  
He nodded and let out another long breath before stepping away from her and started to walk back towards the café once more. Jade kept pace, watching him as Bec acted as a guide dog. It took Cronus a minute to sort everything out but then he started to explain what happened the day he and Kurloz sorted everything out, leading to him having to dry their clothes and Kurloz forgetting his jacket. Cronus had grabbed it by mistake one morning on his way to class, and then just decided to keep wearing it so he would remember to stop by the café to throw it at the troll. He didn’t. Just kept wearing it, studying late into the night, and he admitted with a faint blush on his face, having fallen asleep wearing it one night. When he finally finished midterms and papers, he went to the café to return the jacket and to reassure him he was fine.  
  
“Kanny told me bout how worried he was, and I just wanted to show like, ‘Hey, not dead yet asshole!’thing, ya know? And apparently sleep deprived me thought it was a _great fucking idea_ to give him my phone number and _wink_. Like, what the shit past me?!”

“You’re not about to start ranting at yourself like Karkat used to, are you?” Jade asked him wearily. “Because I am not going to deal with that. Karkat was bad enough." 

“What-No, I’m not bout to rant at myself. Least, out loud.” He said, sighing as he slumped his shoulders. “And I don’t know if it’s a blessing or not that he hasn’t texted me. He may have crumbled the pager up.”

“…Did you want him to crumble it up?” Jade asked gently.  
  
“I don’t know! Maybe? When he’s not being an outright piece of shit, he’s kinda funny? Aughhghh!!” he pressed his hands into his eyes. A few passersby looked at him strangely but kept moving. “Vwhat the fuck is goin on with me?!”  
  
Jade stared at her friend, partially in shock. ‘ _Cronus has a crush on Kurloz and doesn’t even know it. HOW does he not- Oh… Oh! He must think that Kurloz doesn’t like him still… Or, maybe he still has it in his head that romance will never happen for him?_ ’ she watched him grumble to himself, letting her eyes roam over him. ‘ _If I were interested in a sexual relationship with a guy, I may jump his bones. He’s gorgeous, funny, smart, and kind. Though, he can be a pretty big asshole and make me want to punch him in the face. I wonder what Kurloz is like?_ ’

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost ran into Cronus’ back had Bec not stopped her. She looked down and pet him, scratching behind his ears with a grin.  
  
“Vwell, here it is.”  
  
She looked at the shopfront. There were people sitting inside, and despite the deep purple awning with _The Skeleton Bakery and Café_ written in Beforus and again in cursive English just below it. A skull with a top hat, croissant and coffee cup was the decal on one window. It looked strange and charming. Through the windows, she could see a fairly large interior with trolls and humans alike. The lighting was warm, not bright but not dim, and the walls were painted with a rather intricate forest on one wall, the other looked like the sea at sunrise. There were wooden tables, and two wrap around booths, and a small tucked away cranny that had an arm chair with a small table. On the door was a sign that read in Beforus and English, with images as well.

_No violence or shouting within the shop. Trained pets and service animals on leads allowed._

_Hours:_

_Monday & Tuesday: 7 am – 5 pm _

_Wednesday: 4 pm – 2 am_

_Thursday: 3 pm – 12 am (Midnight)_

_Friday: Closed_

_Saturday: Closed_

_Sunday: 10 am – 6 pm_  
  
“Let’s go!” Jade wrapped Bec’s leash once more around her hand and pushed open the door, cheerfully leading the way inside. It was filled with chatter of patrons, but not excessively loud. It smelled like baking bread, cake, sugar, and something rich and almost spicy. Jade already loved this place.  
  
“Cronus!” A familiar voice called out and Karkat Vantas was over in an instant. “And Harley? Shit, what tomb did you crawl out of? You’re coated with dust.” He was grinning a little, meaning he was in a very good mood. 

Cronus looked around and spotted Dave, Sollux, Gamzee, Rose, Kanaya, Nepeta, Equius, Roxy, and John all squished together at the booth, laughing at something John said. Dave gave him “ironic” finger guns, then said something that made John go red as a fresh boiled lobster. Rose leaned forward over her book, interest obvious, as Kanaya hid a laugh behind her tea cup. Nepeta just leaned against Equius as she laughed, who was stone faced as he drank his milk. Gamzee had his head down on the table, chuckling as Sollux joined in making John blush, making Roxy laugh harder and slump against him.

“Heya chief.” He said, focusing back on Karkat. It was good to see the normally scowling troll smiling, even if it was a little bit. It meant he was having a good day. “Ran into Harley at the museum, thought I’d show her round town, ya know?”  
  
“Do you mind if we sit with you?” Jade asked, grinning as she reached forward to wrap Karkat into a hug. He flailed for a moment and squawked, muffled insults coming from Jade’s shoulder before he grumbled and hugged her back.  
  
“Yeah, sure.” Came his muffled reply, squeezing her for good measure before letting her go. “I’ll get the assholes I call friends to make some room.” 

Cronus waved his hand. “Nah, s’all good chief. I gotta bounce pretty fast, got shit to get done.”

“You can sit your ass down for like, ten minutes, Jegus. And _I’m_ telling you that.” Karkat snorted, rolling his eyes. “I’ll grab Kankri, don’t think I won’t.”  
  
“Vwhy does everyone bring him into shit?” Cronus grumbled.  
  
“Cause he’s a, your motherfucking moirail moron, b, the only person you actually listen to when it comes to your fucking health, and really, you’re worse than me about taking care of yourself, nooklicker. And c, we’ll stop using it when it stops being effective.” Karkat said, ticking off his fingers. “Now, go get your shit and come sit.” 

“Come on, Cro!” Jade said, tugging on his arm and he sighed.  
  
“Fine.” And followed her to the line. It was fairly short, only four people in front of them. He could see Jane and Kurloz working the register and drinks, and Meulin was helping grab things for people’s orders. In short order, they were at the register and Jade was looking over the list, chewing her lip.  
  
Kurloz waved at her, smiling politely. It became a little strained when he saw her arm looped with Cronus’ and how laidback Cronus was about the contact.  
  
_You gonna introduce me to your friend, Ampora?_ Kurloz signed and Jade beamed.

“Doctor Jade Harley, and my dog Bec. Nice to meet you! I help Kankri keep this one in line when we’re out on digs.”

“Yea, and for a best friend you’re kinda shit at it.” Cronus ribbed. Jade stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
“It wasn’t my fault you fell down the hill! And you didn’t break anything, just got some bruises and a mildly sprained ankle, big baby. And besides that, you found a whole next section of the temple, like straight out of Indiana Jones.”

Cronus snorted and rolled his eyes, missing how Kurloz’s smile relaxed and became more natural. Jade blinked and quickly looked between them. Kurloz wasn’t watching her. He was watching and waiting for Cronus.

‘ _Oh my god._ ’ She thought. ‘ _Oh. My. Fucking. God. They’re head over heels!!_ ’ She bit down her grin and let go of Cronus’ arm. “So, if I may ask good sir,” she said with a wide smile, “What is best? I can sign if that’s how you speak so no worries,”

Kurloz blinked at her, purple eyes sharp and calculating, but they softened after a moment. He chuckled and shook his head. “You’re like Little Red, holy fuck. And what’s best? Depends on what you like. Got it all up on the board.”

Jade grinned and hummed, pretending to look over the board as Cronus and Kurloz continued to speak.  
  
“How’d you meet?” Kurloz asked, leaning so his hip was against the counter, arms crossed, lazy smirk on his face.  
  
“At the dig,” Cronus said with a shrug. “I told ya before, I vw-was out in Peru for six months for a reason, chief.”

“You never said _where_ you went, motherfucker,” Kurloz snorted. “Gods forbid I thought you finally died.”

Cronus just snorted but rubbed at his bandanna and Kurloz added,  
  
“Though, if you died, certainly be a fuck load less interesting without you being a pain in my horns.”  
  
“Awww, ya do care, chief!” Cronus said with a laugh. He couldn’t believe the weird change in his behavior, or in Kurloz’s. Since midterms a month ago, he’d been a little more open around Kurloz and Kurloz had been warmer around him. He actually talked to him instead of signing half the time and he smiled easier. It was… Nice.  
  
Kurloz snorted and shook his head. “Right, keep telling yourself that, Ampora. Usual? You gonna run out the door or sit your ass down? While you’re in my shop means I’m partially responsible for your sorry greaser ass and Kankri will rip my horns and bulge off if you collapse.”  
  
“Please, like he’d actually go near your bulge,” Porrim said with a snicker.  
  
Meulin looked at Jade and gave her a brilliant smile as Porrim moved around her towards the kitchen. “I like the Chamewmile tea, and the cookies if you want a recommendation. Those two will be at each other’s throats furever, so I can help you. I’m Meulin Lejion!" 

“I’m Jade Harley, and this is my dog, Bec!” Jade said with a wide grin and Meulin’s grin faltered. Jade blinked before she held up her finger. Meulin gave Kurloz and Cronus a confused look but waited as Jade went over to Karkat’s table and handed Bec’s lead to Kanaya and skipped back over. She then signed what she’d said and Meulin’s grin came back full force.  
  
“Oh! It’s nice to meet you!”  
  
“Can she not read lips?” Cronus asked softly as he watched the pair of them sign back and forth, giggling up a storm. He didn’t like the look Meulin was giving him and Kurloz, and then the way Jade was nodding. They were signing too quickly for him to pick up and seemed to have abbreviated their signs somehow. That, or it was an entirely different sign language than he knew.

“She knows,” Kurloz said, bringing his attention back. “Just hard, especially when motherfuckers have complicated orders or shit, or like your friend, talk fast. It’s usually why she prefers to work with me or Porrim when she’s up front.”

“Ya understand her better?” Cronus guessed.  
  
Kurloz snickered and pointed to his face and gave a toothy smile. His teeth were sharp, and his smile lacked any warmth. “I’m a scary motherfucker, brother. Ain’t no one gonna fuck with someone in my café. Meulin can handle herself, but I don’t like blood in my shop. It’s a bitch to clean out.”

Cronus blinked and snorted, grinning as he shook his head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Sure, but it’s more fun.” Kurloz chuckled, shaking his head as he rang Cronus up and Jane started on his hot chocolate. 

Cronus turned his attention to Meulin and Jade, who seemed to be looking at him and Kurloz more. He couldn’t decipher what they were saying, but that they were motioning at them only a little subtly and had equally shit eating grins on their faces. He was curious about what they were talking about and made a mental note to talk to Jade about it later.  
  
“Well, Purrloz likes hot chocolate and told Cronus it was the best drink he made,” Meulin suddenly said aloud. “Since then, he’s ordered it every time he comes in, unless he’s sleep deprived and orders coffee or tea, like Chamewmile. Or really, Kanny makes it and he looks like a zombie as he drinks it. But yeah, our hot chocolate is purrfect!”  
  
“I think I shall take a hot chocolate and macadamia nut and white chocolate cookie then!” Jade laughed, signing her order as she spoke.

‘ _That was… Oddly candid._ ’ Cronus thought but he shook his head when Kurloz waved a hand in front of his face.  
  
_You all here, motherfucker?_  

“Yeah, I’m fine chief.”  
  
Kurloz gave him a long, steady look before he shrugged and held out a mug that was filled to the brim with rich, dark hot chocolate. In the foam on top, there was a little fish. Jane laughed at his expression, pouring Jade’s hot cocoa and drawing a dog head silhouette in the foam.  
  
“I’ve been practicing my foam art,” she said proudly, walking over to the counter to hand Jade her own drink. “I’m not as good as Aranea or Kurloz yet, but I can do simple, silly things.”

“It’s cute, and don’t vworry, doll.” Cronus said with a grin. “You’ll get better at it.”  
  
Jane grinned at him and shrugged. “Fair enough, I guess.”

 _You taking your break?_ Kurloz asked her and she looked at the clock the hung over the kitchen doors and nodded.  
  
“Is that okay?”  
  
_You’ve been in here since one and working. Go and sit for a few, no one’s in. You’ve got twenty minutes._  

Jane gave a nod and a grateful smile and followed Jade over to Karkat’s table. Cronus, however, shuffled his feet for a moment, looking down at the ground.  
  
“You need something?” Kurloz asked him, eyebrow raised. 

“Uh… VWe-Well, kinda need to talk to ya chief. I…I vwanted to say sorry about givin ya my number cause that was a little stupid and probably made ya hate me more-“

“Motherfucker, what are you talking about?” Kurloz asked, cutting him off. 

“G-Givin you my number when I was sleep deprived? And vwas probably a jerk about it?”  
  
Kurloz blinked and then shook his head, chuckling. “I’ve been negotiating a wedding party with a human-troll couple. They’re getting human married, so I’m having to plan around a weird ass time table cause of the differences.”

“So…Ya didn’t just throw it away?” Cronus couldn’t help the shock that was probably written across his face. His cool Greaser façade was gone as Kurloz smiled and laughed, shaking his head. Granted, it was at his expense, but it was a nice laugh when it wasn’t near splitting his eardrums. He quickly shoved that thought away.   
  
Kurloz looked like he was going to answer before he leaned in close and snorted, pointing at Cronus' cheek. "You get punched in the face?"   
  
"Huh?" he scrubbed at his cheek and felt the slightly dry sauce from his lunch. "Fuck, that's from my lunch." he scrubbed at it with his jacket sleeve, Kurloz watching him with an amused smirk. "There? Better?" 

He wasn't expecting the troll to lick his thumb and scrub at his cheek. "There. You missed a spot, brother."

Cronus wasn't sure why the trolls smirk was making his brain short circut.  
  
"You...Why'd you...?" 

“Just go sit down, motherfucker.” Kurloz said, smirking.

Cronus just grunted before he went to join the others at the table, feeling confused as he scrubbed his cheek. There wasn't even any saliva there. They’d managed to squish together so he would be on the end, next to Jane and Roxy, who were holding hands and looking generally adorable. 

“Hey, what took you so long, Crony?” Roxy asked, her smooth Queen’s accent a stark difference his fake Brooklyn-Jersey accent, which only served to thicken his New Orleans accent.  
  
“First, don’t call me that. Second, I vwas talkin to the bigger, scarier Makara,” he said with a shrug, taking a long drink of his hot chocolate. Even cool it was still good. He let out a happy sigh only to frown as everyone stared at him, more than a few of them smirking. Even Gamzee looked interested.  
  
“Weeelllll?” Jade asked, grinning impishly.  
  
“Vwell, vwhat?” he asked. 

“How’d it go?” 

“Uhh…Well? VWas it supposed to go any other vway?” 

“Dude, you two just thopped hating each other, like barely two monthth ago. And he just licked hith thumb and rubbed your cheek, like thome thort of human flirt move.” Sollux pointed out with a smirk, staring at him over his red-blue lenses as his eyebrows wriggled.  
  
“Fuck off and suck a cock, Captor,” Cronus grumbled into his mug.  
  
Sollux laughed. “Ehehehehee. Kinky. Never pailed a human before, ith it fun, KK?”  
  
“Oh, my fucking god, go choke on a bulge, you nooksucker!” Karkat snapped, remembering at the last second to keep his volume down, his cheeks bright red. Dave just laughed and slung his arm around Karkat’s shoulders.  
  
“Awww, come on man. Not cool. Bro code in effect here, no talking about pailing habits in public. Shit’s gross.”

“Fine, fine.” Sollux said, rolling his eyes. “Not like I actually give a flying fuck. It’th jutht fun to thee KK riled up.”  
  
“That, I will second,” Dave agreed, though he nuzzled his short boyfriend’s hair. “You’re cute when you blush, babe.”

Cronus snickered to himself and busied himself with his phone, scrolling through his news feed and scowling a little. Normal idiocy, different people and trolls pulling it off. He took note of a few different stories and texted them to his anthropology professor. He didn’t get an immediate response, meaning he was likely teaching. Or really, giving a sermon. He chuckled as he thought of the poor freshmeat stuck in his class. He was an excellent professor, but he was awful at trying to keep things organized and really, he did better with concentrated groups rather than large lecture halls.  
  
**Unknown: DOES IT LOOK LIKE I THREW OUT YOUR NUMBER?**

**Me: …Kurloz? Vwhat the fuck?**

Cronus quickly added his number with the ID _Big Bad Baker (Makara)_ just as Kurloz texted back. He looked at the register but Kurloz was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was Mr. Egbert.

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): WHEN THE HELL DID YOU START TYPING WITH A QUIRK?**

**Me: Alvways, for your information, chief.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): WHY?**

**Me: Cause I vwanted too? And cause I grevw up talkin like this so vwhen I started talkin to troll kids in my area grownin up, they all said typin quirks vwere normal. So, I took to it. Most my human friends don’t have one though. I can name the ones that do on one hand.  
**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): HUH.**

**Me: Huh? Vwhat’s that mean chief?**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): I WASN’T EXPECTING A STRAIGHT ANSWER OUT OF YOU.**

**Me: The straightest thing about me is that ansvwer chief.**

**Me: oh SHIT VWAIT NO IGNORE THAT!!!**

Kurloz didn’t respond for several minutes and Cronus went bright red, putting his head down on the table.  
  
“Cronus?” Jade asked him when he didn’t lift his head after three minutes. He just groaned and mumbled something unintelligible.

“Are you feeling alright?” Kanaya asked, putting her tea cup down. He grunted.  
  
“I am going to take that as a no,” she said slowly, sharing a look with Rose and Karkat.  
  
“Yo, bro, what’s wrong?” Dave asked, letting go of Karkat.  
  
“Just put my foot in my fuckin mouth.” He grumbled, turning his head to the side a little. 

Gamzee reached over, propping his head on his fist as he gently patted Cronus’ head with his other hand. “S’alright, my brother. Every motherfucker does that.”

He just huffed softly through his nose and closed his eyes. At least, until his phone buzzed, and he opened the message, almost holding his breath.

 **Big Bad Baker (Makara): HOLY FUCK, MOTHERFUCKER. YOU’RE RIDICULOUS. I THINK I ALMOST LAUGHED MYSELF SICK OVER YOUR FLAILING ATTEMPTS TO GET ME TO NOT “SEE” THAT.**

**Me: You’re an asshole, Makara.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO BUTTER A GUY UP, AMPORA. :o)**

**Me: Fuck off.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): YOU FIRST.**

**Me: Vwhatever. I have to go get shit done.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): WAIT, YOU MEAN YOU’VE BEEN HERE IN THE SHOP THE ENTIRE TIME?**

Cronus couldn’t help the chuckle. He could almost feel the confusion from the tall troll.

**Me: Yeah. Vwhy? Did ya think I vwas halfvway dovwn the block?**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): UNLIKE YOU, I’LL BE HONEST. YES, I THOUGHT YOU WERE AT LEAST HALF WAY HOME BY NOW.**

**Me: Vwell, don’t knovw vwhat to tell ya, Makara. My pretty ass has been happily planted in this booth for the past fifteen minutes.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): WELL, LEAST YOU DIDN’T PASS OUT.**

**Me: Avwvwvwvw, vwere you vworried bout me, chief?**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): MORE LIKE THE SAFETY OF MY HORNS.**

“One day, that excuse isn’t going to vwork,” he muttered.

“Sooo, who’s that?” Jade asked, grinning at him.

“None of ya business, Harley,” he said shortly, texting Kurloz back.

 **Me: One day, that’s gonna be a vweak excuse.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): YOU WISH, MOTHERFUCKER.  
  
Me: Okay, if you're gonna be more honest than I apperantly am, vwhat the actual fuck vwas that move earlier?  
  
Big Bad Baker (Makara): WHAT? LICKING MY THUMB AND RUBBING YOUR CHEEK? I WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU'D DO. **

**Me: Still, vwhat the fuck?**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): CALL IT SATISFYING CURIOSITY. YOU'RE FUCKING WEIRD, MOTHERFUCKER**

**Me: I'm failing to see hovw that can satisfy curiosity. You're fuckin vweird, Makara.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): HEH. POT CALLING KETTLE BLACK, BROTHER. I'M NOT THE ONE WITH MORE LAYERS THAN AN ONION.**

**Me: You're still vweird as fuck, motherfucker.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO TALK OURSELVES IN CIRLES AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE HAVING A MIGRAINE. I'M SORRY IF I "WEIRDED YOU OUT" OR WHATEVER. HAPPY?**

**Me: Shockingly, yes.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): WHAT, NO SLIPS OF THE TONGUE?**

Cronus couldn't help the smile that twitched at his lips. Kurloz was actually pretty funny when he wasn't being an asshole, it seemed. And he was actually being almost nice to him. It was weird, but then their whole relationship was weird. He ignored the weird feeling in his chest as he fought down the urge to laugh. 

**Me: Oh, shut up asshole.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): :o) YOU MAKE IT TOO EASY, BROTHER.**

**Me: Still an asshole.**

**Big Bad Baker (Makara): NEVER DENIED THAT FACT. AS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO KEEP RILING YOU UP, I ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK SO LATER AMPORA.**  

 **Me: Heh, later Makara.**

He downed the last of his hot chocolate and licked the chocolate mustache away as Jade was about to hand him a napkin. He looked at the contact he had for Kurloz then stuffed his phone in his pants and grabbed his bag.  
  
“Vwell, I gotta get goin. I’ve got shit to finish. See y’all later.” And took his mug to the counter with a nod to Mr. Egbert before he left. Jade watched him go then turned to the others. Bec yawned and settled at their feet.  
  
“Am I the only one who thinks that he and Makara need to get together?”

“You talkin bout my bro?” Gamzee asked, lifting his head off the table.  
  
Jade nodded. “If your older brother is Kurloz, then yes.” 

“We all think that, Harley.” Dave said, as Gamzee nodded.  
  
“Bro’s a little lackin in the think pan when it comes to shit like this,” Gamzee chuckled. “He doesn’t think too much bout it, I think. But he's gettin his flirt on, I can tell. I don't think he be recognizin it though.”

“Those two are so fucking hopeless, I swear. I might as well be in a god damn rom-com. I could play “Romcom Trope bingo” and get bingo within twenty minutes of them interreacting. That little scene at the register just made me win for the third time this week. It was like watching a scene from one of Dave's shitty anime's. Their heads are so far up their nooks, I doubt they’d see sunlight for three sweeps, much less hold each other’s hand like some kind of blushing virgins.” Karkat snorted.

Jade grinned and leaned forward. “Why, my good Karkat. Is that a bet I smell?” 

“What? That they won’t see sunlight for three fucking sweeps because they’re so stupid? Or how long it’d take them to get together? If it’s the second, I’ll bet fifty bucks that they don’t get together until two months from now… So, January. And cause, I know you’re going to be specific, January 14th. At latest, I’d say February 14th. Hell, I’ll put twenty on that they get together at Valentine’s day.”

“Okay,” Jade whipped out her phone and opened a new note, writing down everything Karkat said. “Anyone else?”  
  
“I put thirty that they get together on Chrithmath.” Sollux said with a smirk.

“While normally I wouldn’t involve myself in these kinds of things,” Kanaya started, “I will say fifty for New Year’s Eve.”

“I second Kanaya’s bet,” Rose said, nodding. 

“Shit, knowin my wicked brother? I saaaayyyy Christmas Eve. Twenty.” Gamzee drawled, grinning.

“I second Kar’s first bet.” Dave said, looking at his phone. “And Dirk said February 13th, twenty bucks.”

“Hmmnmm… I say that Purrloz and Cronus will get together on February 14th, eighty dollars!” Nepeta purred, grinning wide.  
  
“I refuse to take part in such bets.” Equius said shortly, huffing. “And Nepeta, I wish you would refrain from such actions as well, but I know this kinda “thing” with relationships is important to you. I will refrain for now.”  
  
“AA thaid twenty for my bet too,” Sollux said. “TN thaid Dirk’th for thirteen.”

“Oh, those two cuties? Hmnmm… I say Christmas Eve! Thirty. Janey would put down twenty if she wasn’t already back at work, so that’s fifty from us.” Roxy said as she reapplied her hot pink lipstick. “What about you, John?” 

“Uhh… Mnh,” he pursed his lips and looked at Kurloz, who was helping Aranea carry more loaves of bread from the kitchen to the display. “I sayyyy April 1st! Ten bucks.”

“And I’ll stay out of all this, so I can keep track of the bets.” Jade said, tallying everyone’s bets together. “Well, the pot is $413 at the moment. Text your friends who know them and we’ll see how much bigger it gets. The people who win are those who are on either the exact day, or at max two days before or after their bet. They can split the pot with whomever guesses their relationship. We’ll put a fifteen-dollar cap on that one.”

“Pitch, five bucks.” John said instantly. “They _hate_ each other in that kinda weird-I-wanna-fuck-you-now, way.”  
  
“No way Cronus would go for that,” Dave snorted. “I say matesprit, ten bucks.”  
  
“I have to agree with John,” Kanaya said. “Porrim has almost had to be an emergency ausptice between them, back early on when they were in the store. That’s why she put up the sign of no violence inside. They backed down before it came to blows, but the tension was there. I will say five dollars, pitch.” 

“Mnhm… I will say matesprit and agree with my twin.” Rose said with a nod to Dave. “Fifteen.”

“What? Pitch. They’ve got thpadeth for dayth. Ten.” Sollux said with a snort. His phone buzzed. “AA thaid all the quadrantth, fifteen. I’ll text KK what TN thayth. He can text you.”

Nepeta pursed her lips and tilted her head a little. “I see them as matsprits. Ten.”

“Janey and I think Pitch.” Roxy said. “Ten total,”  
  
“Is it right to bet without your girlfriend here?” Dave asked her, and Roxy grinned.  
  
“We’ve had our own bet goin for a while, Davey.” 

“You’re all fucking morons,” Karkat snorted. “Aradia’s got the right idea. I say all them too, fifteen.” 

“My palebro’s got the right idea.” Gamzee yawned. “Fifteen, all the quadrants." 

“Okay, so that makes the total 523.” Jade said, grinning. “May the best person win!”  
  
“I say we lay down some rules,” Rose interjected. “Such as, no one’s allowed to tell them we have a bet going. Nor, is anyone allowed to influence them into one or another quadrant just so they or their partners may win. Any winners will split the prize money evenly amongst themselves.”

“And above all else, _do not fucking tell Kankri_ ,” Karkat hissed. “He will flip the fuck out and I like my ears attached to my head, where they fucking _belong_.”

There was a general sense of agreement from everyone, even Equius who didn’t want to have any part. No one wanted Kankri to get wind of the bet about his moirail.  
  
“Equius, would you mind helping keep order? As this gets bigger and bigger, I assume it will become harder to keep track of everything, and Jade only has so many fingers. Her memory tricks won’t work too well.” Rose said sweetly, but her eerie purple eyes bored holes into him.  
  
He looked like he was going to disagree but a good nudge from Nepeta and her patented “Kitten Eyes” got him to relent.  
  
“Very well. Despite my distaste for this whole thing, I will help keep track of all the numbers.” 

Jade grinned at him. “Great! Just give me your email and I’ll send you the lists. And your number too. Actually, everyone, pass my phone around and add your name, numbers and emails! I can start a mass group chat, and then add in anyone who’s not a part of it.” 

Dave chuckled at her enthusiasm and shook his head. He pulled out his phone and shot a text to Cronus.

**Crow Boy: hey, you home yet? cause if you’re not, think you could swing by the store to pick up some more AJ and OJ??**

**Me: Already bought it, crovw boy.**

**Crow Boy: holy shit, you’re a mind reader.  
  
Me: Hahaha. More like, I do most the cookin so I knovw vwhat vwe got and vwhat vwe don’t. You tvwo go through that shit too fast.**

**Crow Boy: oh, I know you’re not dissing the sweet sweet nirvana of apple juice. that shit’s the bomb. like, actual heaven squeezed from weeping angels into a glass.**

**Me: PFttt hahahahaaa. Holy shit chief, your vweird metaphor’s never cease to amaze.**

**Crow Boy: what can I say? it’s a gift. i’ll pay you back for the grocery’s too. it was my turn**

**Me: It’s a’ight. Vwent to the Asian market, they like me there so got some stuff for a bit cheaper. Bought more fish, little beef, and shrimp, and a lotta rice. All three of us eat a lot of food.**

**Crow Boy: wait, why are you cooking dinner for us again?! it’s my turn!**

**Me: Dave. You can’t cook for shit. You’d end up poisonin us and vwe’d call take out. I ain’t eatin Chinese if I can cook. I honestly don’t knovw hovw the fuck you tvwo are still alive.**

**Crow Boy: …. think you can teach me?**

**Me: This for “ironic” reasons?**

**Crow Boy: no. I mean it. actually, teach me how to cook. nothing fancy, just something edible.**

**Me: A’ight. I can attempt. My Pops vwould be better, but I’ll try. He may be comin up for Thanksgivin. Vwe can talk bout it later, ok? Typin veith one hands a pain. See ya soon.**

**Crow Boy: ok. and… thanks Cronus.**

**Me: No problem, Dave.**

Cronus chuckled as he let himself into the building, nodding at the rust blood who was sitting there that day. She was new, he had yet to learn her name, but he was carrying four different reusable bags filled to the brim with fish, vegetables, shrimp and rice. Plus, two of the biggest containers of apple juice and orange juice he could find. All of it was fairly expensive, but it would be cooked, stored and then eaten like provisions for quite a while. That, and Dirk and Dave could handle rent between them for that month, so he could save up.  
  
He whistled to himself as he headed to the elevator, pressing his floor with his elbow. It stopped twice to let on a troll pair and then a human. All of them followed elevator etiquette and kept their mouths shut, staring at the numbers changing on the LED screen. The minute the doors opened on his floor, Cronus barely gave them a cursory look and kept his head down. The second he turned the corner he slowed down and took a deep breath.  
  
“Jesus, could smell the tension from those three,” he muttered to himself. He had to set two of the bags down to fish his key out of his bag and grumbled before he finally got the lock to turn.

“Finally,” he sighed, picking his things up and letting out a loud, exhausted groan when he was finally inside, kicking the door shut behind him. He went to the kitchen and put the food down, taking his bag off and dropping it on a chair at the table. Pulling out his phone and scrolling through his music, he grinned and pressed play, setting it on the table. _Defying Gravity_ started blaring out of his speakers.  
  
“So, I think I’ll try defying gravity,” he sang, smiling as he put what food he wasn’t immediately going to cook away. “And no one can bring me down,” his voice was a little husky, not made for hitting higher notes but it was clear he enjoyed doing it. His tenor carried well with the song and he relaxed, finally. He kept out the beef, carrots, beans and broccoli, prepping it for stir fry. He grabbed the wok his old man had given him when he left for college, setting it up on the dingy stove. He leaned away as the burner clicked, the gas not igniting immediately. The flames jumped with a soft _whossh_ but settled quickly under the cast iron.

“I don’t like your little games, don’t like your tilted stage,” he sang as he chopped the beef up into cube-like strips before tossing them into a bag with corn starch and shook it as he swayed his hips. He left the bag on the counter for the moment as he washed the vegetables and with a few quick cuts had the beans in half, the broccoli heads halved then into individual pieces. The carrots he did a little fancy knife work and had them looking like cherry blossoms. The oil went around the middle of the wok to pool in the center and he sashayed as he grabbed a clean bowl and set it next to him as he alternated between cooking beef and vegetables.  
  
“Put some lipstick on, perfume your neck and slip your high heels on,” he had to stop cooking as he danced for a minute, hips swaying as he sang with the music, practically choregraphing his own routine to the song. Or, as well as he could with a wok of boiling oil in dangerous proximity to his crotch. His legs itched to kick and spin out, maybe try his hand at one or two of the breakdance moves that Meenah had taught him before he’d left for Peru. As the song ended, he let out a long breath as jazz started to play and his body started an easy swaying kind of movement, where it was almost like his entire body was moving separately of each other part. 

He finished cooking, pulling the last of the stir fry out of the oil, turning off the stove and stabbed the mix of crisped meat and vegetables with a fork, folding the mixture together. His music cut off for a moment as his phone buzzed with a message.  
  
“Who the fuck?” he set the bowl down, sighing as he paused his music. He’d had a good rhythm going too, but now that was lost. 

**Pops: Hey, Cro. If you don’t have to do anyfin tonight, Eri’s home with a friend from school for a few days. Want to see us?**

**Me: HELL YEAH!!! Give me like five minutes, kay?**

**Pops: Heh. A’ight, I’ll go get your brother.**

**Me: Thanks Pops.**

He set the bowl down, grinning so wide he was sure his face would freeze that way, but he couldn’t care at the moment. He did grab a pot and fill it half way with water and threw a pinch of salt in it. He set it on the stove and turned the burner to low, then dug around his backpack for his laptop. It took him less than a minute to sign in and pull up Skype. The application had barely opened when that annoying ring tone started up. He was still smiling as he peeled the tape away from his camera, clicking accept. 

“CRO!!” Came the extremely bubbly cry of one Feferi Peixes.

She was leaning over Eridan’s shoulders, her brown eyes bright as her smile. The African-American teen was built like a swimmer, not too tall but not too short with broad shoulders and wider hips. She was dressed in bright pink, green and blue, her hair kept in tight braids that went down her back and wrapped in a bun, usually. It seemed she was changing her hair style, as it was a mess of curls and frizz, but it was adorable. Her pink glasses slid down her nose a little, but she made no move to push them back of up nose, her bracelet’s jangling together as she waved, three different necklaces thumping against her chest as she jumped over the couch to settle next to Eridan, her skirts flaring before they settled. She just kept smiling, giggling.  
  
“Hehe, hey there Fishy,” he chuckled, settling in the chair, keeping one eye on the water as it boiled.  
  
“Hey, Cro,” Eridan said. His voice was nasal, cracking all over the place. He was a late bloomer at sixteen, but it seemed he would shoot up just like Cronus had done, though probably not fill out as much as he had. He pushed his thick black glasses up his nose, which was more aristocratic than Cronus’.

His whole face was more-narrow and defined than Cronus’; where his was square and more heart shaped, Eridan’s was narrow with defined cheekbones and a sense of haughtiness that he’d grow into. The younger Greek’s skin was paler than normal, which made Cronus worry. His younger brother preferred to stay in his room and read for hours than swim or be social, like Feferi. His hair was less curly than Cronus’ as well, but he’d redyed the cowlick his favorite shade of purple, which made Cronus smile. His baby brother was wearing almost all black, aside from the purple hoodie he’d bought him before he left.  
  
“Hey there, Eri.” He waved, grin softening. His baby brother was a trip and a half most days, and while he loved him to pieces, sometimes he was a bit much. Though, as he looked at the pair, and the well-worn grey couch they sat on, the warm blue walls of the living room behind them, he felt a pang of homesickness so strong he felt physically nauseous.

“What am I? Gator bait?” came a rumbling baritone and Duncan Ampora came from the kitchen, balancing three plates of food in his arms. Eridan got up to help him carry two, handing one to Feferi who took it with a bright,  
  
“Thank you, Mr. Ampora, Eridan!” 

Duncan “Dualscar” Ampora was a large, leanly muscled man at six feet six, with a slight limp and two jagged scars across his face. His voice was deep, like rumbling waves beating against the shore, and the man’s usually tan skin was paler from spending so much time inside. He usually wore a scowl, and with his height, tattoo sleeve that led down his back, and the grey shirt that read MARINE CORP in black across his chest, even in baggy purple sweatpants with fish print on them, made him more than a little intimidating. But he was grinning as he looked at his adopted son, taking a bite of food.  
  
“Hey old man,” Cronus grinned, standing to put the rice in the boiling water. And to wipe at his eyes.  
  
“Water you been doing, Cro-fish?” Feferi asked, swallowing a large bite of fish.  
  
“Ehh, lotta shit.” He said over his shoulder, measuring out enough rice for three people plus a little extra and letting it boil. “Vwork is work, but Kaliri says I should have more than enough to work with for my thesis. Uhh… Oh! Gonna be teachin Dave how to cook, maybe get one of the Striders to eat somethin more than my cookin and take out.” He snorted. 

“That the shorter one?” Duncan asked, pausing.  
  
“Yup!” Feferi said, cutting across Cronus. “He’s the one who does things for “irony” and silly things like that! But, he’s funny and we both like paleontology.”

“Yeah, wwell, he’s also a jerk.” Eridan grumbled around his fork.  
  
“Vwhat’d he say to ya, Eri?” Cronus asked, leaning against the table as he sat back down.  
  
“…Just somethin stupid,” he grumbled. “It wwas about my hair, then his, then just kept goin down from there.”

Cronus sighed and rubbed his temples. Eridan was known for picking fights, and especially with Dave. The two of them usually were pretty good with not arguing, and Dave usually managed to keep a cool head around most everyone. Few people managed to crack the Strider Mask of Chill and Irony. Cronus, his half-sisters and brother, and Karkat were able to worm through that barricade, no issues. Eridan, who was argumentative to a fault, would break his hands on that kind of wall but seemed to get under Dave’s skin regardless.

“Eridan, I thought you two stopped that bullshit. He’s my roommate. You’re sixteen. He’s twenty-one. Don’t rise to his bait.” He explained, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
  
“Yeah, well I hope he manages to get food poisonin,” his brother grunted, spearing a piece of fish particularly hard.

“Okay, nough of that,” Duncan said with an eye roll. “Where y’at, son? And not just with school and work, I mean with your friends, and moirail. That how you say it? I know Kankri's basically helpin keep your head on straight.” He’d pronounced it like “morerail” but Cronus nodded, smiling once more. 

He filled his family in on the goings on’s of the city, what’d he’d been up to and how well he’d been doing in classes. He cleaned up as he talked, half looking over his shoulder as he cleaned the sharp knives and put food away. He turned the stove off just in time, draining it over the sink before scooping half of it into the bowl with meat and vegetables and mixing it all together. He took one of his favorite spices down and held it up to the camera.  
  
“I’m almost outta Slap yo Mama, Pops,” 

“Mnhm. I’ll send more up. What about the spices I gave you when you left?” 

“Peru?”  
  
“No, visit in December.”  
  
“Oh, yeah, those are fine. Got about,” he went to his spice box and checked the glass bottles. “Half left in all ten?”

Duncan grunted with a nod. “Good. You know your grandmama would come down and kick your ass into gear if you had any more.”

“Heh, yeah. Though, it’d be fun just to watch Grandpop’s ghost try to reign her in,” Cronus laughed, looking at the framed picture he had of his grandparents.

It was one of the few photos that had him, Eridan, and Duncan together with both of them. Eridan had been five or six when the picture was taken, and Cronus had been twelve or thirteen. Both of them too skinny, barely past being skittish of Duncan, who had, by the time the picture was taken, managed to adopt them finally. They were dressed in jeans and hoodies, smiling tentatively, Eridan heled by Duncan and Cronus standing in front of Alana.

Alana Ampora was a slender, regal looking Turkish woman with a stern expression and kind eyes. Her hands were wrinkled, and her knuckles prominent, grey hair held back in a complicated braid, bright clothes draped effortlessly across her in a wrap-dress. Her husband, Benjamin “Benny” Ampora, was built like a bear, and pale as milk, which only stood out in his darker clothes. His thick hair was near silver, though his ridiculous mustache still stubbornly held onto a few patches of fire engine red. He had laugh lines and calloused fingers, as well as only one arm, the other amputated long ago from when he’d served in the Marines. Most had thought he was the spit-fire when it was Alana. 

She’d been a firecracker, full of energy and attitude, and a stern look when it was needed. But Cronus could remember her smiling at him and Eridan, telling them to call her Grandmama, teaching him, with Duncan, how to cook. He’d been twelve. Terrified of messing up but she never raised her voice at him or Eridan, made him smile and instilled a love and passion for cooking, creating. He couldn’t do very much with a college student budget, but it was doable. Benny, or Grandpop as he said to call him, made him learn to love to sing, and Duncan fostered that love into love of music and art, and taught Eridan all about history and magic, making his baby brother come out of his shell faster than Cronus could ever have expected.  
  
“-nus! Cronus!” He blinked and shook his head at his brother’s voice. 

“Yeah? Vwhat’s up?”

“…You wwere spacing out,” Eridan said softly, Feferi and Duncan both giving him worried looks. “You didn’t say anything for two minutes. Are you sure you’re okay?”  
  
“I don’t have to come up there and make sure your professor's are givin ya enough time to rest, do I?” Duncan asked, vaguely threatening.

“Nah, it’s all good Pops.” He said with a smile, spicing up the bowl of mixed meat, vegetables, and rice. “I’m fine, trust me. Always am,”

“Cronus,” Duncan’s tone made him freeze, smile still in place.  
  
“Yeah, Pops?”

“You’re a shit liar boy.” He sighed, the sound heavy and sad. “What’s botherin’ ya?" 

Cronus went quiet, tossing his heavy thoughts around as he plated his dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. His family waited, patiently concerned. Finally, he’d put the cooked rice in some tubbaware and managed to put it in the fridge, which was a game of Tetris in itself, and the meal was covered, left for whenever Dirk and Dave got home. He sat at the table, poking at his dinner listlessly for another minute before he finally took a bite.  
  
“Just.. I miss y’all,” he sighed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been home, and I miss it. I miss it a lot. The docks, the music, the Quarter… I miss it all. You got into a car vwreck, Pops and you’re lucky to still be walkin. Eri, you’re growin up and I gotta see it through a computer screen.” 

“Hey,” Duncan said gently, making sure Cronus was looking him in the eyes. He gave him a soft smile, dark brown eyes glittering. “Thanksgivin is in a week. Everythin will be a’ight, Cro. Trust me.”  
  
“Pops, I told ya, I _can’t come home_.” Cronus stressed, feeling annoyance start to bubble up in his chest. He’d told him when he got back from Peru, and really, he was lucky that the dig had counted as credits, so he only had to take three courses, plus the anthropology lab. He’d been thrown right back into courses and work not even two days after he got back. He was blessed that Kaliri was more than happy to let him turn in a ten-page paper on what he’d learned in exchange.

“Cro-fish, how many exams did you take?” Feferi asked, leaning forward, elbows propped on her knees.  
  
“Uh, four four-hour exams.” He sighed. “That vwas in October, and god it was hell… I had to take an exam for lab, which was puttin bones back together and figurin out how they died. That one was the hardest.”

“ _Four_ four-hour exams?!” Duncan demanded, looking annoyed.  
  
“Yea, Pops. Ya need your hearin checked?” Cronus asked around a mouthful of food. He swallowed and added, “Sides, three of ‘em were pretty easy. Kaliri’s was pretty much an essay, Rebecca’s was supposed to be four hours but was more like two, and Claine’s vwas four-hours but not too hard.”  
  
“You better not have been overworkin yourself cause of that! You already work too hard, you’re barely pulling yourself together!” Duncan barley managed to keep his voice level, though Eridan still inched away from him and Cronus recoiled a little as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

“Pops, I’m _fine,_ I’m serious.” Cronus promised, smiling. “Kankri’s been takin care of me and Kaliri has been makin sure I rest when I look too tired. Hell, even the museum director lessened my work load. I’m _fine._ I’m all caught up and I have A’s and B’s, remember?”

Duncan sighed and rubbed his temples. “…I know, Cronus. But, I also know _you_. You overwork yourself too often and it gets to ya, I can tell. You’re my son, it’s in my job description to worry bout you and your brother.” He paused then pulled Eridan to his side in a loose one-armed hug. “I’m sorry for snappin.” 

“It’s okay, Pops,” Cronus said as Eridan hugged him back. 

“Mnhm… Do ya have anyone in your romantic life, Cro-fish?” Feferi asked, smiling. Her attempts at changing the conversation were about as subtle as a tidal wave crashing over a boat.

Cronus started to shake his head, then stopped and shrugged.  
  
“I’m… Not entirely shore, Fef,” she started to giggle, and he frowned then groaned, “God damn it, Fef! Stop infectin me with your fish puns!”

Eridan snickered at his brother as Duncan sighed, smiling a little. Things seemed to be settling back out at least.

“Sooooo~?” she asked, grinning wide.

“I said I don’t know, Fishy,” he sighed, eating a little more of his dinner. “I mean… He’s a troll, so I’m not entirely sure _vwhat_ he’s tryin. I thought he hated me, and I didn’t like him too much either. But, he’s not pitch flirtin with me, but he was vworried bout me when I didn’t show up at the café for a vweek, accordin to Kanny, Dave and Karkitty. He’s just so _confusing_.”

“How so?” Duncan asked, looking interested. 

“He pisses me off, but he’s funny vwhen he’s not an ass, and he actually cares bout those who're in his shop, human or troll. He makes great cookies and swears worse than you, Pops,”

“Bull motherfuckin shit,” Duncan snorted, eyes rolling as he crossed his arms. Cronus laughed.  
  
“Yup, just like that. And... I don’t know. I’m just tryin to get to know him, ya know?” 

“Well, it sounds to me like you’ve got a crush on him,” Duncan managed with a straight face. “Tell me when the wedding is,”

“Pops!” 

“What?”  
  
“No, I think he’s right.” Feferi said with a wide smile. “You’re in L-O-V-E!”

“I am _not_.” Cronus snapped, cheeks flushing. “He’s an asshole above all else, and like I’m gonna go for that.” 

“Cro,” Eridan said with that irritatingly smug smile, “ _You’re_ an asshole. Usually it’s opposites attract, but ya always were a wweird person.”

“Fuck off, Eridan,” he grumbled, spearing his food and chewing aggressively.

“Oh, I’m shore it’s nothing that drastic,” Feferi said, though she was trying not to smile.  
  
“I’m hangin up,” Cronus threatened, hovering over the End Call button.  
  
“Okay, that’s enough.” Duncan said. “Stop it you two,”

“But Dad-!” Eridan tried and Duncan just gave him a raised eyebrow and his _I am not amused_ look.

“Fine,” he grumbled and Feferi grinned, nudging him and whispering something that made him laugh. Cronus just rolled his eyes harder.

“Okay you two, go and clean up the kitchen,” Duncan said. “Then go finish your homework. And I want your door open, Eridan.”  
  
“Like I wwas gonna close it,” he grumbled, standing and grabbing his plate. Feferi took her own and Duncan’s, smiling at Cronus. “See ya, Cro.”  
  
“Bye-bye, Cronus!” Feferi sing-songed and he waved at the pair.  
  
“Sea ya two,” he punned, making Feferi laugh and snort as she followed Eridan to the kitchen.  
  
Cronus ate a little more of his dinner as Duncan stretched out his leg, groaning as his knee popped. Cronus grimaced at the sound, teeth grinding.  
  
“Sorry, lad,” his dad said, rubbing the sore joint with a wince. “PT kicked my ass today. Thought I was done with that shit.”

“Dad, you got _T-boned_ and your knee was so broken they had to give ya an entire new one.”

“Oh, trust me, I know. Not a damn day passes that I don’t know that, lad.” Duncan sighed, looking mildly annoyed. Not at Cronus, but at his knee and his aching body. “Six years in the Marines, get released with a purple heart and needin a new bone in my leg. I thought I was done with PT.”

“Be glad it wasn’t in your left leg. They’d probably have had to give you an _entire new leg._ ” Cronus said, voice low and fierce, worry dripping from his voice. He’d been reminded how destructible his old man was.

Eridan had called him when he was at the dig, he couldn’t even leave to go home to be sure that he would be okay. Feferi and her family had helped Eridan and Duncan when he hadn’t been able to, had kept things together when he wasn’t able to be there. He hadn’t been home since winter break, and even then, it was only for three weeks, most of which he’d spent getting ready for the trip, before he was packing up and gone to Peru. It had been the third month into the trip when he got the call. Eridan was hysterical, a sobbing mess that choked on his words and made it impossible to understand him. Meenah had told him what had happened, and he barely managed to get to his tent before he broke down. Kankri was dead asleep but he’d left him at least ten messages before Jade found him. That was about the time she really started to see behind the careful mask he’d kept up, the smile wiped away. She hadn’t been leading the dig and if he left, he wouldn’t be able to complete the research, family emergency or not. That yawning pit of worthlessness started to yawn in his stomach once more and he itched for a smoke. The acrid taste, the cancer stick slowly burning down and burning away his life.

“Cronus?” 

“Mnhm?” he grunted, not looking at his dad.  
  
“Cronus, look at me, please.” There was something like desperate worry in Duncan’s voice that made him look up, blinking away tears. “Do you remember what I told you the day you and your brother came into my house?” he asked, voice gentle in a way Cronus hadn’t heard in years.  
  
“…Yeah,” he mumbled, staring at his empty plate.  
  
“What did I say?” Duncan prompted.  
  
“That…That you wouldn’t leave us anytime soon, and that you’d punch death in the face,” Cronus said, smiling just a little.  
  
“That’s right,” Duncan said with a self-satisfied nod. “And that still holds. I will do anythin for you boys. You’re my sons. So, if that entails drivin all the way up to ya to see ya for a few weeks, then so be it.” 

“Wait, what?” Cronus felt his jaw drop, staring at Duncan in shock.  
  
Duncan chuckled at Cronus’ shocked expression and grinned. “Aww, come on lad. I know ya can put it together."

“You’re… You’re both… For Thanksgiving?!” 

“Ya better bet your ass we are. Booked a hotel in advance, we’ll be there for a week, since Eri’s on break from school. 

He could feel his eyes filling with tears and he stared at the other in shock. “You…You mean it?”

“Cronus, why the fuck would I joke over somethin like this?” Duncan pointed out calmly, smiling. “We’ll be there in a few days, ya can show us around and I’ll help you make dinner.”  
  
“I…I was invited to go to Kankri and Karkat’s…” Cronus mumbled, still in shock and Duncan shrugged.  
  
“Ask Kaliri if he minds a few more.”  
  
“Ya know he vwouldn’t,” he said with a small smile. “So…It’ll be us, Kaliri and his family, uh… I’mma assume you’re bringin the Peixes? And the Captors may also be there, Dirk, Dave, probably Rose, Kanya, Porrim, and Rosa, and Gamzee and Kurloz…” he trailed off as he thought about being in a rather enclosed space for several hours with Kurloz. At best, they’d avoid each other and maybe make eye contact. At worst, they’d actually have to interact.  
  
“I’m sure you’ll be fine, lad.” Duncan said, settling on the couch with a grunt as he cracked his back. “It’ll be alright, you’ll see. Kaliri is the kind that makes everyone calm down, and if nothin else, I can crack a few heads.”  
  
“Ya’d give people concussions, Pops,” Cronus snorted and Duncan laughed.  
  
“Eh, trolls got thick skulls. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” 

“I doubt Kaliri would appreciate that very much,”

“He’ll get over it if it means havin a quieter dinner,” Duncan said, waving away his sons concerns. He let out a long sigh, rolling his neck and yawning. “A’ight. I hate to cut this short, but I have to go finish things up for the drive up there. You’ll be okay for a few more days without us pestering you, won’t you?”

Cronus gave him a large, mostly fake, smile and laughed. “Are you kiddin, old man? I’ve lasted this long without seeing your ugly mug in person, I think I can handle a few more days of peace without Eridan’s bitching and your joints poppin like popcorn.”

Duncan snorted and shook his head, a small, albeit sad, smile on his face. He looked old then, so very, very old. Much older than a man who was barely brushing forty-five had any right to look. His skin was too pale, the bags under his eyes were too dark. He looked like he was stretched thin, worry and pain in his eyes, underneath the exhaustion. Cronus hated that look. He’d always seen Duncan as a mountain, something only mindboggling amounts of time could make old. But, looking at the man who’d taken him in, saved him and his brother, he knew that childish mentality wouldn’t hold up any longer. Duncan Ampora was growing old. He was in excellent shape, but years of pushing himself to his limits had worn him down. He didn’t look it, not physically. But it was moments like this, when the exhaustion, the pain and worry over his sons was written across his face that he was so much older than he should be.  
  
“Cronus,” he said suddenly. “You know I love you, right?”  
  
“Yeah, course I do.” He answered immediately, feeling paranoid dread creep like bile up his throat. His stomach started to churn uncomfortably.

“Good.” Duncan gave a satisfied nod. “Just wanted to be sure ya knew, laddie.”

“…Dad…” he couldn’t ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue. _Are you alright? What’s wrong? What’s happening?_ They flashed like warning signs, neon bright and blinding, through his mind, spinning faster and faster. He could feel the stirrings of his anxiety.

“I’m not gonna be kicking the bucket anytime soon, if that’s what you’re thinkin,” he said gruffly, snorting a little. “Give me some credit, Cronus. Sides, I’m on forty-five, I’m not gonna keel over. Just thought I’d tell ya, make sure you knew. You had that look on your face.”

“What look? I’m fine, right as rain, Pops.” Cronus blustered, trying, and failing, to keep his voice steady.  
  
“Cronus.”

“Yeah?”  
  
Duncan was silent for a long minute, staring at him, dark amber eyes boring into slate grey-blue. Finally, he let out a sigh and said,  
  
“Call your moirail. You look seconds from unraveling.”

“Yeah, okay,” his voice was softer, his hands shaking a little. “…I love you too.”

“Not nearly as much as I love you,” Duncan shot back, smirking a little.  
  
“That a bet, old man?” Cronus asked, weak smile in place.  
  
“Lad, I love you to the depths of the ocean and back out to the stars themselves.”

“Yeah, vwell I love you all the back to the time of Greeks and Trolls meetin and back.”  
  
“Well shit, that’s quite a bit.” Duncan chuckled. “I love you, Cronus. Call Kankri, get some fuckin sleep and I’ll see ya in a few days, a’ight?”

“A’ight… Night night, Dad,” he said, feeling like a little kid once more, staring at his old man. In his mind’s eye, he could picture the tall, imposing silhouette of his father, standing at his doorway after having tucked him in, despite being twelve years old and claiming he was too old for such treatment. The smell of salt from the ocean, leather from his jacket, cooking fish and spices, and something unknown, smoky and warm but not whiskey, lingered. He could almost feel phantom fingers running through his hair, soothing him to sleep.  
  
“Night night, son. Sleep well.” Duncan said, voice hushed like he really was at his doorway.

Cronus gave a sad, aborted wave before he hit end call and took several deep breaths, shaking a little. He moved robotically, cleaning up his own meal. Dave and Dirk weren’t back yet, which must have meant they were out and about with their friends. They’d come back at some point, and dinner would be ready for them. He was so lost in his thoughts he missed his phone vibrating until it fell with a clatter from the table and onto the chair.  
  
“Shit!” he left the dishes he’d been cleaning and grabbed it, opening the messages.

 **Minnow Peixes: cronus**

**Minnow Peixes: clownfish ya there**

**Minnow Peixes: beach, i know ya ain’t ignorin me are ya**

**Minnow Peixes: ya cant hear it but i just cliked my tongue in distaste at ya ya bastard**

**Minnow Peixes: oi**

**Minnow Peixes: OI**

**Minnow Peixes: asshole fuckin answer me**

**Minnow Peixes: OI CLOWNFIS)( YA GOT A F—EW**

**Me: VWhat the fuck, Minnow? Vwhy the hell are ya blowin up my phone?!  
**

**Minnow Peixes: well lookat you gettin all salty and shit**

**Me: Vwhat is it Meenah? Thought ya vwere still back home**

**Minnow Peixes: knot anenemore clownfish I came up to you sittin pretty in philly**

**Me: VWAIT, ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOVW?!**

**Minnow Peixes: whale don’t go blowin a blood vessel there clownfish**

**Me: No, you idiot!! I’m excited!! I haven’t seen you in almost a year!!!!**

**Minnow Peixes: wow dropped your weird shit too guess youre pretty serious**

**Me: Vwhat, ya thought I vwasn’t excited to see ya Minnow?**

**Minnow Peixes: )(ON—ESTLY a little**

**Me: Vwhat happened?**

**Minnow Peixes: nofin just vwanted to get a new place old place was gettin old as shell**

**Me: Ya and the sea vwitch fight?**

**Minnow Peixes: nope is it actually hard to believe i wanna sea you dork**

**Me: Hovw do you vwant me to ansvwer that?**

**Minnow Peixes: aughh fuck it i’ll be done unpackin in a hour or so come by tomorrow i’m gonna workin next week see ya clownfish**

**Me: Bye, Minnow. And I’m ---EXCITED damnit**

**Minnow Peixes: heh yeah ya are who wouldnt be excited**

**Me: And ya ruined the moment.**

**Minnow Peixes: pfftt as if later clownfish**

**Me: Later Minnow.**

Cronus let out a long breath, smiling a little. It would be good to see Meenah again. He’d missed her quite a bit, and if she was where he was, that would mean that she’d be at Thanksgiving as well, seeing as Eridan would obviously bring Feferi, and that wound mean Camila, their mother, would be there as well. The idea of seeing his family and oldest friends should have excited him but the yawning pit was leeching away the warmth the news would usually bring. He sighed and sat heavily at the table, staring at his computer’s clock. 8:45 pm stared back at him. He rubbed his chest fiercely, like the friction would make him warm back up from the outside in. It did nothing but make him hiss in pain as he gave himself t-shirt burn.

His hands shook slightly, and his skin prickled uncomfortably. He stared at his bare arms, the old white scars that went up his forearms to his shoulders. Some of those he’d given to himself. Others had been given to him. A beating that drew blood, went deep. His throat suddenly felt hoarse and he could taste blood, faintly. He stopped biting his cheek and went to the sink, spitting. The bright red was a stain against the shiny aluminum. He turned the facet on all the way, washing it away and stuck his head under it, drinking to get rid of the taste. He stared at the sink as he pulled away, panting slightly. The water was still running, filling his ears with white noise. A second later, he stuck his head under, letting the water run over his neck, through his hair and dribbling down his face. The rancid smell of the garbage disposal nearly made him gag but the cold water was helping more than a shower. After a minute, he shut the water off and braced himself against the counter, taking several deep, shaky breaths.

“I am okay. I am not there. I am in control of my emotions. I am in control of my mind. I am in control of myself.” He itched for a cigarette. He grabbed his phone and sent a text instead.  
  
**Me: Bad night. Black hole.**

 **Kankri <>: I will 6e there in a few minutes. Please wait f9r me.**

**Me: Pr9mise.**

He went to the couch and sat, head bowed, still dripping water on the floor, and on his phone screen. Cronus wasn’t sure how long he sat there, staring into nothing. He didn’t react when the door opened and closed, the lock turning once more.  
  
“Cronus?” he looked up when he heard Kankri’s voice and tried to give him a smile, a smirk. Anything. It didn’t work, from the worried frown that deepened on his moirail’s face. Kankri didn’t say anything else, just disappeared down the hall towards the bathroom. He came back less than a minute later, holding a towel that he draped around Cronus’ head and neck, and started to rub his hair dry, gently wiping at his face.  
  
“Come on,” he said softly, tugging Cronus to his feet and holding onto his hand tightly, leading him down the hall to his room. He still had the towel wrapped around his head. Kankri nudged his door open and looked around his moirails room. It was mostly clean, which was good for the small space. His bed was pressed up against the wall, underneath the window, blinds open, showing the street below as the cars and people rushed past. There was a fire escape he knew Cronus would sit out on lacked a can to catch his cigarette butts, so he wasn’t smoking yet. He led Cronus to his bed and made him sit, turning on the bed side lamp, then went to his dresser and grabbed a pair of loose purple sweatpants and a wife beater, tossing them to him. That startled Cronus into paying attention as he flailed as the clothes smacked him in the chest.  
  
“Chief, vwhat?”  
  
“Get changed, Cronus. You’re not going to sleep in that and I am not leaving you alone tonight.” Kankri said simply. “I will be in the bathroom, getting changed into my own pajamas should you need me. I will be right back.”  
  
He just nodded and Kankri left him to get dressed. He stripped, throwing his clothes to his chair at his desk, uncaring. He dressed slowly, his limbs felt like anchors had been tied to them, dragging them down, through the floor, to the dirt several stories below. He flopped back on his bed, staring at his ceiling, the blank white offering nothing but floating spots in his eyes. He turned on his side and looked around his familiar room. A few posters of musicals on his blue walls, a painting or two that’d he’d actually been proud of and hadn’t destroyed. His acoustic guitar, resting on her stand by his night table. Desk, in the far corner of his room, littered with books, papers, and notebooks. His bag was back in the living room, filled with the work he’d have to get done tomorrow, but he couldn’t muster the energy to bring himself to remember why that was so important.

Kankri came back in as he started to wonder if he’d fallen into Narnia, holding two mugs of tea. He gave Cronus a warm smile and sat them on the side table, dressed in black sweats and a shirt that said,

_TW: I don’t care for your opinion_

Cronus had given it to him as a joke gift years ago, when Kankri was far more long winded and actually said “trigger warning” aloud when he was talking about literally anything. It was amusing when it wasn’t directed at him, which was a fairly common occurrence.

“Here,” he said, grabbing a blanket from the end of the bed and draping it around Cronus, then handed him a mug of tea. It smelled like peaches and ginger, with a lot of honey.

“Thanks, babe,” he muttered around the rim, lip catching for a moment before he took a long drink. It was scalding, but the heat was welcome. He’d welcome the blisters on his tongue if it meant he’d be warm. Kankri watched him and grunted softly, nudging him a little to move to the wall. He watched as Kankri settled on the narrow bed next to him, book somehow in his hand.

“Jegus chief, you pullin books outta ya ass now?” Cronus joked weakly and Kankri humored him with a snort.

“No, Cro. I had it with me when I came in with the tea. Is it helping?”  
  
Cronus just took another long drink, not looking at his moirail. “… A little.” 

Kankri sighed and situated himself so he was pressed against Cronus’s side, a line of fire that warmed his numb limbs. They sat there in silence, Kankri trying to compose something, anything, to talk to Cronus, and Cronus absorbing the heat from the troll laying next to him. 

“…’m sorry…” he mumbled around his now empty mug, staring down the side of it at his feet, going cross-eyed until he blinked.  
  
“You have no reason to apologize, Cronus,” Kankri said softly, peeling his fingers away from the mug and setting it beside his on the side table. “You’re having a bad night. You’ve been stressed, and things have been insane since you returned from Peru. I also know you’re not taking your medication, you stopped when you went to on the dig because you and your therapist agreed you were stable.”

“…I really don’t deserve you, Kanny,” he mumbled, turning into his friend’s chest and wrapping his arms around him tight as he could. He didn’t care that the arm underneath Kankri’s back would go numb from the weight of the other. He didn’t care that his skin was prickling. He didn’t care about anything. He just wanted to be closer to the wonderful mini sun that was plastered against him. He felt Kankri tentatively put his arm over his shoulders and leaned into the contact, sighing.

“Yes, you do Cronus. I will remind you every day that you deserve me as a moirail until you believe it.” Kankri said simply, letting more weight rest on his shoulders. Silence fell once more, comfortable but Cronus could still feel his skin prickling.

“Do you know what brought on your attack, Cronus?” Kankri said softly, thumb rubbing at his hip gently.

He shrugged and Kankri sighed. “Can you tell me the truth?” he asked and Cronus gave a slow nod. “Thank you,”

It took Cronus a minute or two to get his thoughts together before he untied his bandanna and Kankri took it, folding it up neatly and putting it on the bedside table.  
  
“I…I miss home. Pops, Eri, Fef… They’re all comin up for Thanksgivin, ya know? Comin over to your old man’s place for dinner, and I…I’m excited. I really am. I just…”

“Is it because Kurloz will be there?” Kankri asked him, voice soft, prompting.  
  
“No, not really.” Cronus sighed. “This time, it’s got nothin to do with him. I just… I don’t know. I just feel like a pit’s in my chest again, ya know? It hurts… Cold, makes me feel empty.”  
  
Kankri hummed and kicked the comforter down, then pulled it up over them both. It took a little maneuvering, but he didn’t want to have to move Cronus. His shorter moirail gave a happy sigh at the weight of the blanket over him. Kankri put his arm back around Cronus and his thumb returned to his hip, rubbing small circles.  
  
“Is there anything specific making you feel this way?” Kankri asked patiently. The only real light in the room was the dimmed bedside lamp, but Kankri could still see every detail of Cronus’ face, even pressed into his chest.  
  
“…Skin started to prickle again. Wanted to smoke, fuck, I wanna smoke so bad Kanny. Just, I don’t know, to get it out. I know I quit, but I want to smoke still.” He mumbled.

“I’m very proud of you for asking me to come over instead, Cronus.” Kankri said, running his other hand through Cronus’ damp hair. “I know how hard it is to stop, but you stopped, and you’ve only had four in the past three months. I’ve very, very proud of you. You helped me quit. I am going to help you. It’s in the job description,” he added when he felt Cronus shift, tilting his head up like he was going to argue. He stopped and stared at Kankri then let out a long sigh and settled once more.  
  
“…Yeah, okay.” 

“What made your skin prickle? Was it memory?” he asked, then when Cronus didn’t answer, added, voice a little harder, “Cronus, I know this can be a triggering subject for you but I need to ask you if you hurt yourself at all.”

“No, of course I didn’t!” Cronus snapped, almost recoiling from his side. Kankri loosened his hold, giving him the wordless option to pull away. A tense moment passed and then he settled once more, sighing. Kankri resettled next to him.  
  
“I am sorry if what I said was upsetting and triggered you, Cronus. I trust you not to hurt yourself, but I was worried regardless. I know that that is a contradictory statement, but I couldn’t stop from asking it regardless. You are my moirail, and I couldn’t suppress the need to be sure. By your reaction, I know you didn’t. I didn’t see any signs, either, but I just had to be sure.” 

“I know, Kan,” Cronus mumbled, taking a few deep breaths. Kankri smelled like baking bread, sugar, and books, and something warm and familiar. Cinnamon, he realized a moment later. He couldn’t help his smile and sighed, relaxing into the troll’s chest. “I don’t blame ya, just… A sensitive topic." 

“You know,” he said after a moment, tracing patterns up and down Cronus’ arms. “I have read several studies about tattoo’s being used to cover scars to turn them from unhappy and triggering reminders to beautiful pieces of artwork. I know your field will give you more leeway with that sort of thing, and while I personally do not like the idea of body modification, I will support you and help you find a good artist. I think getting full arm tattoos on both arms will help you. Or, at least over the worst of the marks and you can add to them in time.”

Cronus stared his arms and yawned, nodding. “Heh… I like that idea, chief.”

“We can talk about it in the morning, Cronus. Are you feeling any better?”  
  
“Yeah, a little. Not as cold.”  
  
“And do you still want to smoke?”  
  
“Mnhm… Not really.”

“Good. Did you take out your contacts?”  
  
“….Yes?”  
  
“Cronus,” Kankri sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.  
  
“I’ll take ‘em out in the morning, no big.”

“…Fine. Are you comfortable?”  
  
Cronus shifted a little, grunting. “My arms fallin asleep, to be honest,”

Kankri huffed a small laugh and shifted so he was cuddling Cronus, the human’s head pillowed on his chest and tucked underneath his chin. Kankri’s arms were wrapped around him, Cronus’ arms sprawled over his chest and wrapped around his shoulders. He reached up and started to card his fingers through his hair, listening to Cronus sigh happily.  
  
“…Hey, chief, could you read to me?” 

“Of course.” He stopped carding through Cronus’ hair to grab the book and opened to his bookmark and began to read. It was written in Beforus, but he translated it relatively easily for Cronus.

“That sounded nice and comforting, but they had not got there yet, and it was not so easy as it sounds to find the Last Homely House west of the Mountains.” He barely reached the end of the page before Cronus was falling asleep. He sighed and put the book away, then grabbed his phone and texted Dave and Dirk.

**Me: I’m staying the night at y9ur apartment. Cr9nus was having a 6ad night. I’m with him right n9w, 6ut he d9esn’t l99k g99d. I 6elieve a mix 9f stress and depressi9n is the cause. Please tell me if he starts t9 sm9ke.**

**Dave: he hasn’t touched a cig since a month ago, far as i know. i’m staying with karkat tonight, but i’ll be home tomorrow morning. i don’t have classes, so i can help you get him out of his head. we'll do a jam session, haven't had one of those in fuckin years**

**Dirk: Okay, thank you for telling us, Kankri. I’ll make sure he eats as well. I’ll be home in a few minutes, I had to stop by the shop for a bit to be sure that everything was alright.**

**Me: 9h dear, has s9mething happened?**

**Dirk: Nah, it’s all good now man. Just had some issues a few days ago, wanted to be sure that nothing was going on again.**

**Me: Alright. If y9u’re certain.**

**Dave: are we still going to your place for thanksgiving?**

**Me: Yes, as l9ng as y9u tw9 still want to c9me. It will 6e fairly l9ud, Cr9nus, his br9ther and father, the Peixes, y9u tw9, myself, Karkat, our father and m9ther, Nepeta, Meulin, Kurl9z and Gamzee, and I 6elieve P9rrim, Kanaya, R9se, S9llux, Mituna, Silias, and R9sa will all 6e there.**

**Dave: holy shit. how big is your house man?**

**Me: N9t terri6ly large, if I’m h9nest, s9 we will all 6e a little cramped. 6ut I think it will 6e a g99d dinner. Will y9ur 9ther sister 6e j9ining us?**

**Dirk: No, Roxy is spending Thanksgiving with Jane and John, and Mr. Egbert. Rose and Kanaya may be joining her, I don’t know yet.**

**Dave: I do know Jade’s going to Johns.  
  
Me: Please let me kn9w as s99n as y9u kn9w.**

**Dirk: Can do.**

**Me: Thank y9u. 9kay, I sh9uld g9. Cr9nus is sleeping 6ut I d9n’t kn9w h9w l9ng he will 6e.**

**Dave: ok. see you tomorrow, dirk, kankri**

**Dirk: Bye. Thanks for looking out for him.**

Kankri stared at his phone screen for several minutes, trying to formulate an answer before he just sent back,

**Me: He’s my m9irail. I care a69ut him.**

**Dirk: I know. But still, thank you.**

**Me: …You’re welcome.**

And with that, he set his phone down on the sight table and curled around his moirail, sighing. Cronus looked exhausted, and so very small wrapped up in his arms. Yes, he was a few inches taller than him, but he looked almost like a wriggler. It was almost distressing how tiny he was. He felt his heart ache and was reminded why he was so pale for this idiot human. He was a douchebag, an asshole, but he was trying to change. He’d built up walls and not even Kankri had gotten through all of them. He was so afraid of losing people that he was more likely to push them away just so they wouldn’t see how broken he was. He knew his moirail was scared, of a lot of things, so he put on a confident mask and pushed down his emotions.

“Cronus, one day I hope you trust me enough to let me all the way into your head.” He said softly, shifting a little more so he was comfortable. He stayed awake for a few more minutes before he finally fell asleep, half curled protectively around Cronus. He would worry about morning, Thanksgiving, and work tomorrow.


	3. In Which Family is Reunited and Unexpected Relationships Are Formed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After many months of separation, a family is reunited at last. Rose understands more and more about Cronus, and Kurloz is fighting to keep that strange emotion in his chest down, but that's a little hard when Cronus starts singing at a campfire like some kind of cliche. Karkat starts a new Bingo board and some mental scarring occurs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I wasn't expecting that kind of response from you guys!!! I wasn't expecting so many people to enjoy my attempts at plot and shenanigans, but thank you to everyone who's commented, left kudos and just read this growing monstrosity. I'm trying a bit of a new style, hence the length of the chapter, so leave a comment and let me know what you think! As always, I have no beta so if anything seems really out of place, glaring plot holes, grammar or spelling mistakes, let me know and I'll do my best to fix them! Okay, enough from me, on with the story!  
> No, wait, I lied.  
> DISCLAIMER!  
> If you need me to tell you at this point that Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie, I can't help you. As always, OC's belong to me. (And for reference, the ancestors are merely named by me, they are not my OCs.)  
> Okay, now on with the story. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!  
> -RR

“He can’t speak, but he will testify,”  

“That’s my son!”  

“I’m sorry, but that’s what has to happen. Eridan is a mess, he’s barely coherent. Cronus is the only one.” 

He stared at the court room, filled with monsters of shadows, voices distorted as they asked him questions. Something like a noose tightened around his neck, making him choke.

“Cronus, please, I know this is scary, but it will help keep you and your brother safe. I promise you, I will do everything in my power, baby, to keep you two safe,”

He looked to his left, there was Camilia, worry painted across her face, and hunger for blood in her eyes. She was a shark dressed in fuchsia pink.

A shallow nod. 

“Mr. Ampora, I feel sick about the trial- Oh, lad.” A large, warm hand held out for him to take, not trying to touch him. The smell of leather and salt, and hospital soap. He knew the stench of it now, it’d burned through his nose. The first two scents were new but comforting. The soap made him feel queasy. Small fingers squeezed larger, calloused ones for a moment. Then he took back the board and wrote,

 ** _I don’t want to go. I’m scared._**  

“I promise ya, lad. I’m not going to leave you alone there. You’re my kids as far as I care, and I have a friend, a troll friend, who will do everything in her power to keep you two safe, and you’re safe with me.”  

“Mr. Ampora, can you please write down to communicate what happened?”

A voice through water, the noose tightened. He could see her, clear as day, sitting, watching him. A sick, twisted expression on her face before it melted away.  

He couldn’t speak, the noose was too tight. It felt like hands tightened around his neck, pressing against his windpipe. Liquor burned his nose.

His head hurt, his arms were throbbing. 

“Cronus? Cronus, what’s wrong? Come here.” 

He just shook his head, trying to calm down. He could feel he was covered in a cold sweat, breathing hard and shaking. He wasn’t sure where he was. He’d been in a court room…. Had that been a dream?

“Cronus, can I touch you?”

He shut his eyes tight and gave a shallow nod.  

A large, fire hot hand rested in between his shoulder blades and rubbed up and down. He couldn’t breathe… Oh god, he couldn’t breathe…

“Cronus, Cronus listen to me. Take deep, slow breaths. You’re okay. Trust me, you’re okay…” someone was talking to him, someone familiar.

He wanted to scream, the urge was bubbling up deep in his throat, like a kettle whine. There was swearing, then someone was pulling him into their chest, tucking his head up underneath their chin and carding their fingers through his hair. He latched onto their shoulders and just tried to breathe. They smelled like paper and books, incense and dirt. They were like a brand pressed against him and burned away most of his fear. Slowly, he managed to focus. Kaliri was holding him, humming something he couldn’t understand but it was helping ground him.

“Cronus, can you hear me?”

He gave a small nod, breathing slowly evening out. “…T-Thanks, Kaliri,” his voice was thick with sleep and unshed tears.

“Shhh, don’t try and talk if you’re not feeling up to it,”

He just nodded and settled against the warm weight of the older troll, eyes closing again.

“Do you want me to talk?” Kaliri asked softly, settling them both on the couch.  

“….Please?”

“Alright, well. There’s been several things that I have been teaching my new students. I started telling them about the various troll culture specifics, especially from what I have learned and remembered, as well as,” his warm, low voice washed over Cronus and brought him back to the present moment. Kaliri stopped talking when Cronus’ grip loosened on his shoulders.

“…Fuck,” he mumbled, sighing. “I’m…”

“Don’t apologize. Don’t even start.” Kaliri said gently, but firm. “You had a nightmare, or a PTSD attack, I’m not sure which. But whichever it was, it wasn’t your fault. How do you feel? Do you want me to get you some water? Or stay here?”  

“…Water’d be great, chief.” 

“I’ll be right back.” Kaliri gave him a warm smile and went to the kitchen.  
  
Cronus looked around the room and forced his half-panicked mind to remember the events of the last few hours. He’d decided to stay the night at Kankri’s family house with Kaliri, Kankri, Karkat and Dave. He’d fallen asleep, cuddled next to his moirail and then… then the dream. He shook his head hard, like that would clear out anything left. The old memories hadn’t bothered him for years. And for good reason. He’d moved on. He was _fine._ He took a deep, slow breath and looked around the room, focusing on what he knew instead of his panic. 

The couch he was sitting on was large and worn, the fabric a rich navy blue, and formed an L-shape where it met the wall. The window was cracked open, blowing cool November air across his neck and making him shiver despite the hoodie he’d stolen from Kankri’s floor, but he couldn’t find the strength to turn around and close it, or to pull the warm grey throw blanket around his shoulders. His eyes continued to wander. Up over the low wooden coffee table, across the carpet towards the wood floor and then brick fire place. Over the mantle that held various photos of Kaliri, his matesprit, Amaira, his sons, the Captor family, the Maryam family, and even a few pictures of him, Duncan and Eridan. His lips twitched upwards at the sight, and he pushed his glasses up his nose.

There was the bookshelf immediately next to the fire place, stocked with books on any subject that caught Kaliri or Amaira’s attention, and on the left side was a TV/electronics station, of sorts. The TV was sitting in the middle, on a shelf, of what used to be a wardrobe, and above that was a cable box and a DVD player. Under the TV was a record player, and speakers were attached at the corners of the walls, one for each corner. The room was filled with early morning light, filtering in from the windows, curtains opened. The couch was directly underneath one, and faintly, he could hear morning birds starting to sing.

Kaliri and Amaira lived outside of Philadelphia, instead choosing to commute for an hour and a half from their two-story house. The walls were a rich green, the carpet woven slate blue-grey that made his feet itch. On the walls were more photos, of people, places, and a few plants. Books were everywhere, scattered across every flat surface that wouldn’t trip someone up. The large dining room table in the center of the room, opposite the couch, was piled with books. He could hear Kaliri in the kitchen, which was just through the double doors that had glass panes. The room was large, but it felt contained, cozy. Lived in. The couple had built it themselves, years ago, and living in an area more heavily populated by trolls it was fairly common, much like buying a plot of land or leasing it. Cronus took another deep breath and closed his eyes. The room smelled like ash, from the fire that’d gone out sometime in the night, incense and earth, and rain, like a candle had been lit. He finally turned and closed the window, cutting off the breeze. 

“Sorry I took so long,” he looked up as Kaliri came back in, leaving the doors to the kitchen open, warm lighting spilling over the wood floor. “But I figured hot chocolate would help chase out whatever was in your head better than water right now.” He handed him his mug, which the human took with a grateful nod and a small smile.

As he drank, Cronus felt a sense of calm as he watched Kaliri move around the room, picking up a few books here and there before he came back to sit down next to Cronus, giving him a little space. He was tall, taller than either of his sons, at six foot four, which for a mutant scarlet blood was fairly tall. He had wide set shoulders and a trim waist, but he was built. His entire body was compacted, solid muscle, and though he was a pacifist, with his scowl when he wanted people to shut up or leave him alone, he could be fairly terrifying. It was offset by his low, rich voice and how often he smiled. Unless he was caffeine deprived, then he was scowling. 

His horns were nubby, like his sons, but were visible over his messy black hair, which he never tried to tame, and a scruffy beard that looked good on him. His grey skin was dark, darker than most trolls, and that would seem little odd considering he taught at a University, indoors. But, Cronus knew why. He was an avid gardener and hiker, kayaker and boulderer. Kaliri and Amaira were regular adventurers, pushing themselves to the limit any chance they got.

“Hey, hey, slow down there,” he felt the mug being forcefully lowered and took a breath, looking down. He’d chugged half of it in one go, and it was a fairly large mug. Kaliri grinned. “Did you miss my hot chocolate that much, Cronus? You had some just two days ago,”

“Yeah, vwell, what can I say? When a guy’s got a cravin for Vantas hot chocolate, little else I can do but drink whatever I get.”  
  
Kaliri laughed, muffling the sound behind his hand so he didn’t wake anyone else, shaking his head.  
  
“No matter how delicious, try not to chug it, okay? It’ll hurt your stomach, and your old man wouldn’t be too happy if you couldn’t get off the couch to say hi.”  
  
Cronus, who’d been taking another drink, albeit smaller, almost choked. “Wait, he’s coming today?!” he wheezed, Kaliri thumping his back. 

“Yes, though tomorrow is technically Thanksgiving. Though, I’m honestly celebrating having so much of my family under one roof at once. He said Camilia and Feferi would be flying in with him and Eridan. I managed to convince him to not make a road trip of it, so small mercies,” he snickered, then added, “He said that they would be here around eleven, and Silias is picking Amaria up from the airport for me. It’ll be me, your old man, you and Rosa on cooking duty. Meulin, Kurloz and Kankri are going to bake desert once we have dinner set up, and Nepeta will be sorting out everyone else as Amaira will make sure no one kills each other. You gave Meenah the address and time to come, didn’t you?”  
  
Cronus nodded and drank a little more, glaring at the grinning troll over the rim of his mug, silently daring him to make him choke. Instead, Kaliri said, 

“Good, then it will be her, Dave, Dirk when he gets off work, Gamzee, Kurloz, Karkat and Kankri, Nepeta, Feferi, Duncan, Eridan, Porrim, Meulin, Amaria, Silias, Mituna, Sollux, Rosa, Camilia, and Rose and Kanaya said that they may stop by for a few minutes before disappearing to John’s to visit. If it gets too loud, you can escape to the back porch, alright?” 

“Thank you, Kaliri,” Cronus said, feeling a little steadier. He yawned hugely, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, pushing his glasses up. “What time is it, even?”

“Mmhm… four-thirty am.”

“…That is an ungodly hour. Why are we awake?” Cronus asked after a moment, staring at the troll, and then realized when he was wearing. He was wearing sweats and a hoodie, though no shoes. “Were you going to go out on a run? At ass-crack-of- _dawn_ o’clock?” he sputtered and Kaliri nodded, shrugging.  
  
“Yeah, but I don’t think it’d be a good idea now.” 

“Why?”  
  
“Because you’re upset and Kankri is dead asleep or will be for at least another hour. Cronus, what happened? You looked… out of it.”

He looked down, studying his sweatpants intently. “I…I don’t know.”  
  
“Cronus.”

He let out a sigh, shoulders dropping, and he looked up. Kaliri was leaning close, scarlet red eyes watching him steadily, hands folded in his lap. He was going to wait, body loose and relaxed, he was more than happy to hold that position for however long he needed.  
  
“I…I had a nightmare, or a fuck load of memories all at once,” Cronus finally said, voice soft. “It was about the trial.” He kept his eyes on Kaliri, who didn’t look away from his own. It was comforting. He didn’t have his bandanna on, or any make up, so the worst of his scars were on display. And yet, Kaliri wouldn’t look anywhere else but his slate-grey eyes. He took a breath and continued.  
  
“I don’t remember sleep walking, but I used to do it as a kid, or when we lived with Pops, and I’d lose time. I’d wake up screaming sometimes too. And then, I’d scream myself hoarse, unless Pops was there, and he’d calm me down by having me listen to his voice, just holdin me close, ya know?”  
  
Kaliri nodded and his lips twitched upwards in a smile, soft and warm. It made Cronus relax further, and the last dredges of his nightmare dissipate. Kaliri had that quality, to just calm someone down and make them listen, make everything make sense. It was almost like he was sitting next to Duncan.  
  
“A-Anyways,” he stuttered, shaking his head a little. Kaliri was a family friend, had been Duncan’s friend for years, he was his professor. Since when did he feel like another father figure? “Uh…”

“Duncan, time fuckery,” he prompted gently.  
  
“Right, yeah. I don’t think I lost time, I always felt sick vwhen I did,” Cronus ran a hand through his hair, tugging faintly. “I just… it was a nightmare of the trial, I could-could feel like I vwas bein strangled,” he cut himself off, hand flying to his neck, rubbing over the scars there. He could feel himself swallow, feel his pulse under his fingers.  
  
“Cronus, breathe,” Kaliri said, keeping his voice low. He didn’t try to move any closer to the shorter man, but he held out a hand for him to take and waited.

He and Amaira had been in Europe when the trial had been going on, but he knew what’d happened. It took every ounce of self-restraint to hold back a growl at the way his old friend had sounded, the way those poor boys looked… He looked at Cronus and while he could see the man he was becoming, he also had stripped away the boy’s layers. He could see the pain and the strength, the way he struggled to define who he was sometimes, the depression and anxiety, the layers upon layers of false bravado, and the way he kept moving. It was truly astounding. He’d known the boy long enough to claim him as a surrogate child, his fifth with Meulin and Nepeta, Kankri and Karkat. Eridan he didn’t know as well, but he’d be more than happy to bring him into his family. He’d always had a penchant for adoption. He could blame his mother, but then she was always happy to have grandchildren around. And, if he really thought about it, Sollux and Mituna were his surrogate children as well. 

He smiled, brought out of his thoughts, when Cronus grabbed his hand with the one that’d been at his neck, breathing easier as he squeezed. He was taking, slow deep breaths, eyes closed as he pressed his fingers into Kaliri’s thick skin, searching for his pulse. It took a minute, but he managed. Kaliri kept perfectly still. A few minutes of easy silence passed, and Cronus finally let up his death grip on his pulse point.  
  
“Better?”  
  
“Yeah, thanks chief.” He gave Kaliri a wane, fragile smile.  
  
“It’s no problem, Cronus.” He paused, then added, “I think that, as your professor and as your friend, that you should tell your therapist about the nightmares coming back and going back on your medication. And I think you should talk to Kankri about these things. You know how he worries about you, even if he weren’t your moirail.”  
  
Cronus’ fragile smile cracked a little and he bowed his head. He knew Kaliri was right. “Alright…”

“Promise me, Cronus. There’s no weakness in asking for help, trust me, please. I won’t lecture you, but I know you have issues when it comes that sort of thing. If nothing else, talk to Kankri, he will tell you the same thing.”

“I know,” he mumbled, twining his fingers with Kaliri’s, just holding his hand. “I’m… I’m scared.”

“Why?” 

“…I don’t know, honestly.”  
  
“Do you think you can sleep anymore today or do you want to come on my run?” 

Cronus looked outside, the grey dawn light crawling over the trees and spilling across the sky. The sun wouldn’t rise for another two hours, but it looked cold. He could see frost on the windowpanes, just at the corners but that meant it was likely freezing outside.  
  
“Ohohohoho, nopity nope nope _no._ I’ll leave the ass-crack-of-dawn o’clock joggin to you and my old man. I,” he paused to yawn, letting go of Kaliri’s hand, then drained his hot chocolate. “am going back to my moirail’s bed to get some kind of sleep before I have to wake up and face the fuckery of today properly.”  
  
Kaliri chuckled and nodded. “Alright. Suit yourself. Just gonna tell you now, when you’re my age, you’re gonna miss being limber.” He wriggled his eyebrows, struggling to keep a straight face.  
  
Cronus snorted. “When I’m your age, I’ll be curled up in bed and warm. I’ll save the joggin at ungodly hours for guys like you who enjoy it. Ya can take all the fucks I give bout that bullshit,” 

“Go sleep, Cronus, you’re not making sense.” Kaliri said, plucking the mug from his hands as he stood and gently steered him towards the kitchen, leaving the mug on the counter, and then walked Cronus up the stairs.  
  
He went easily, almost stumbling a few times, but he made it unscathed. Kaliri followed him past the guest room to Kankri’s room, and stopped, waiting for him to open the door. His eldest’s room was neat and tidy, genes that must have come from someone else since no one else was able to keep shit in their lives straight. He almost snorted aloud at his accidental pun but managed to bite his lip. 

Cronus half stumbled in the dark to get back to Kankri’s bed, though thankfully the floor was clean, and he knew his way around. After the nightmare and near panic attack, he was almost surprised at how exhausted he felt. He looked at his moirail, who was sprawled on his side of the bed, hugging Cronus’ pillow. He was piled under blankets, despite running like a furnace, not that Cronus was complaining. His bed was pressed against the wall, under a bay window that had pillows and a book or two, from the vague shadows he could distinguish. He took his glasses off and set them on the bedside table, yawning hugely, feeling another wave of exhaustion crash over him. He looked over his shoulder just in time to hear Kaliri mutter,  
  
“Sleep well, Cro, Kanny. I’ll be back later this morning,” and closed the door behind him. A moment later, his light footsteps were headed to Karkat and Dave’s room. 

‘ _I probably shouldn’t be surprised how tired I am… Though, maybe it’s a good thing I forgot how fucking draining that shit is to deal with,_ ’ he thought as he nudged Kankri gently, getting him to move over.  
  
“Kanny, budge over,” he mumbled and Kankri shifted, rolling over onto his back, staring up at Cronus with a sleepy, confused expression. Cronus just crawled into bed and hugged his moirail tight. “Please, don’t leave,” he slurred against Kankri’s neck. A moment later and strong, wiry arms were wrapping around him and tugging him closer, disappearing only for a moment to pull the covers and blankets up higher.  
  
“Never,” Kankri yawned. “Never gonna leave, you Cro. Pale for you,” and he pressed a kiss to his forehead and fell back asleep, half purring, half snoring. It took Cronus only minutes to follow him.

He woke up, several hours later, to someone running their fingers through his hair and purring.  
  
“You sound like a cat, Kankri,” he muttered, opening his eyes slowly and smiling at his moirail. Kankri looked at him from the corner of his eye, nose buried in a book that was propped up on his knees, Cronus’ head on his chest and his hand running through his hair.  
  
“Yes, well,” he said, voice vibrating underneath Cronus’ ear. “You are very nice to cuddle with.”

Cronus just snorted and smiled, yawning. “What time is it?”  
  
“About nine am, why?”

“So, why are ya still in bed? Aren’t you normally up and about around now?” 

Kankri took a minute to answer, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. “I was comfortable staying close to you, and you,” his blush vanished after a moment. “Were octopussed so tightly around me I was surprised I could breathe.”

Cronus just giggled. “Aawww, come on chief, ya know ya love it vwhen I do that.”

“No, I most certainly do not!” but Kankri was fighting down a smile as he said that and scratched a little harder at his scalp, making Cronus melt further into his side.  
  
“Damn, really vwish I could purr like you do,” he mumbled, giving his moirail a dopey smile.  
  
“I am not purring,” Kankri said decisively.  
  
“Then what’s that vibratin under my ear?”

“You’re hearing things.”  
  
“Really? Am I imagining things too? Cause I can see ya smilin,” Cronus teased, laughing as Kankri went red and snapped his book shut. He kept laughing even when Kankri gently bonked his head with the spine, scowling at him and fighting a smile and the loud purring in his chest.  
  
“Fine,” he said, breaking out into a smile as Cronus tucked himself against his body, pressing his face into the troll’s neck. “I’m smiling. Happy?” he rolled a little so he was flat on his back and Cronus was half sprawled over him.  
  
“…We’re weird motherfuckers, aren’t we?” Cronus asked after a minute of basking in the warmth. Kankri just grunted, so he continued, “We don’t act completely pale, but I know you’re not red for me either, and I see you as a really close friend. That occasionally decides to kiss my forehead or nose,” 

“You started the nose kissing, not me.” Kankri pointed out, running his hands through his hair once more. “And does anything about our relationship particularly bother you? Was someone giving you grief over it and making you uncomfortable? Or was this an observation? I do not think we were vacillating into any other quadrant, but if you are at all uncomfortable with my actions, I can-Mnmmf!” Cronus cut his moirail off with a hand over his mouth.  
  
“Kanny, calm- Eurghh!! Did you just lick my hand?!”

“That’s what you get when you cover my mouth like a wriggler. Honestly, Cronus you know better than to do something like that. That could have been triggering for me.”

“Kankri. You’re startin to sound like a pretentious piece of shit again.” He said instead. Kankri glared down his nose at him and Cronus stared right back before he finally sighed and closed his eyes. “A’ight, I’m sorry for coverin your mouth like that.” 

“Thank you. And I’m sorry if I was starting to sound like a pretentious asshole. Was it my asking questions or the trigger talk?”  
  
“Latter.”  
  
“Ah, alright. That answers that. Now, do you think you can answer the former?”  
  
Cronus sighed and turned on his side, curling up so his knees were pointing at the pillow and his head was right over Kankri’s heart, his arms wrapped around his moirail’s shoulder and side. Kankri was staring at him, half propped up on pillows, hair looking like a bird had nested in it and invited a couple squirrels for a party, bags under his eyes. He looked tired and worried. Experience taught him that he wouldn’t be able to hide anything from Kankri for long, and if he tried, then the troll would root it out and internalize the issue, focusing on Cronus instead of himself. It would turn into a vicious cycle, one that had nearly broken them up early on.  
  
“…Do you remember how we became moirails?”  
  
“Yes, very well. You were in a low place, and I stopped you. I refused to let you slip away, and then we kind of fell into moiraillegiance from there.” Kankri’s thumb brushed over a scar on his temple – twin jagged lines, like simplified lightning bolts. Cronus closed his eyes and nodded.  
  
“Yeah.”

“…Is how we became moirails bothering you?”

“No, I just… I had a nightmare last night, woke me up in a panic and I vwound up going downstairs. Your old man snapped me out of it and we talked for a bit. I…I don’t think I lost time?” It was more of a question than a definite fact.  
  
Kankri hummed and pushed some of Cronus’ hair out of his face. “What was your nightmare about?”  
  
“…The trial.” 

Kankri’s purr dropped into a growl and he pulled Cronus closer, tightening his hold. “She won’t ever come near you again, Cronus. You know that.”  
  
“Yeah…Yeah, I know that,” he mumbled, closing his eyes again. “It just… I felt like I vwas bein strangled, and my arms hurt… It felt _real,_ Kanny,” 

“Sssshhh,” he felt a soft hand pap his cheek and his muscles relaxed. “Ssshhhh, I won’t let anyone hurt you, Cronus. I promised, just as you promised me. No one is going to get you, or Eridan for that matter, while I’m kicking and breathing.”

Cronus nodded, burrowing his face in Kankri’s chest and taking deep, measured breaths. He could feel and hear the way Kankri was slowly breathing, chest rising and falling slowly for him to copy. After a beat, he said,  
  
“Thanks,” 

“Anytime.” Kankri shifted like he was going to press a kiss to his forehead then stopped and laid back down. The aborted movement was covered as he shifted to pull the blankets up further, though Cronus knew. “Now, can you tell me why you asked about our moiraillegiance habits?”  
  
“Just, does it ever bother ya? That I ain’t a troll and it doesn’t fit into a neat little square? Or, that we’re really cuddly and shit, and that a lotta people think we’re matesprits?”

“Not really, no.” Kankri said. “Old me probably would have cared, if I’m perfectly honest. But then, old me was a fucking idiot. I would have gone on about keeping a vow of celibacy, instead of just understanding that there’s no reason to try and claim that I’m better than other’s because I am asexual. Or, demisexual I suppose. I will have to contemplate that later, given how I am with you and the differences,”  
  
“Kankri, you’re getting off track again,” Cronus said but he couldn’t help the warmth and affection in his voice. 

“Oh, right. Anyways,” Kankri blushed faintly and coughed. “I care about you, Cronus. You have many walls, and though I am your moirail, I still haven’t seen through all of them. I do, however, understand that we both need physical contact. That in itself is a little strange for a troll, despite me having been raised in a very physically affectionate household, and you in one later in your life. We require it, more so than others I think. But, I don’t think that makes us strange. I enjoy cuddling you and talk to you, listening to you sing and enjoy performing as a form of stress relief. You keep me from being a piece of shit to people I care about, and I keep you steady. And believe it or not, Cronus, but you keep me steady as well. I knew going into this that being with a human in a quadrant would be odd. But, you know that I’ve been raised in a very unconventional family.”  
  
“No, really?” Cronus snorted. His sarcasm, however, was lost on Kankri before he was caffeinated. 

“Yes, really. My parents weren’t expressly matesprits, nor were my hatch mates technically my hatch mates, aside from Karkat. My parents were also polyamorous and Silias and my father were in a relationship for a while before returning to their pale relationship, though Sollux and Mituna have been raised very closely with me and my other siblings, and Nepeta and Meulin moved out to their own place when Meulin was in college. We also have Crab Dad.”

“I…Kankri, I was bein sarcastic,” 

“Oh,” he went bright red once more and Cronus snickered then full out laughed. Before his moirail could start ranting, however, he leaned up and kissed his nose, smiling.  
  
“You’re a dork, chief.” 

“…But I’m your dork,” he pointed out, grinning a little.  
  
“Yeah, ya are.” Cronus smiled and laid back down, closing his eyes and listened to Kankri’s heartbeat for a few minutes more. “Are we good?”

“I assumed we were, especially after a feelings jam like that. Are we not?”  
  
“No, I think we are. Just wanted to be sure.” Cronus mumbled. Kankri smiled at him and returned to running his fingers through his hair.  
  
“Oi!! Are you two actually going to get the fuck up today at all?!” Karkat yelled through the door, knocking loudly. “Dad said to get the fuck up and come help! People are going to be here soon!” 

“Oh, shit! Dad and Eri!” Cronus scrambled to get out of bed, grabbing his glasses and looking at Kankri’s alarm clock. **9:23** stared back in bright rainbow LED.  
  
“It’s barely nine-thirty, you asshole!” he shouted back. 

“You still have time before people get here, Dad just wanted your asses out of bed at some point today,” Karkat said, volume much lower. 

“Karkles, are they up yet? If not, I’m going to eat all the bacon,” Dave’s voice through the door before Cronus could retort, or contemplate crawling back into bed.

“Bitch, stay away from my breakfast!” Cronus snapped, running out the door and almost bowling into Karkat on his way out. Dave was already disappearing down the stairs, laughing. He could hear Karkat and Kankri talking but he wasn’t paying attention. There was bacon on the line. He knew Dave really would eat all the bacon if he wanted.

He jumped the last four steps and almost slammed into the wall before chasing Dave down the short hall to the kitchen, where Kaliri was leaning against the counter, drinking coffee. He looked mostly awake, and held a mug out for Dave or Cronus, whoever got to it first really.

“No running,” he said, taking another sip. Dave just snagged the mug and gave Kaliri a salute before running to the den. “Sorry, Cronus, but Dave and Karkat already ate breakfast.”  
  
“Bullshit,” Cronus said, grinning as Kaliri’s straight face fell apart, and the troll grinned at him over the rim of his coffee mug.  
  
“Alright, yeah.” He pushed off the counter and set his mug down, pulling two plates of pancakes, bacon and fried eggs out of the oven. “Here. Kankri coming down?”  
  
Cronus nodded, taking the warm plates and walking to the den, calling over his shoulder, “I thought he was talking to Karkat. He should be down in a minute or two.”

“Boys!!” Kaliri shouted, his deep voice carrying. “Get down here and eat! Or, at least you Kankri! I’ll get Crab Dad!” 

Muffled swearing and Kankri was thumping downstairs, Karkat following. Cronus just smiled and snorted, sitting at the table. Dave was lounging in one of the chairs, drinking his coffee. His shades were pushed up, resting in his white-blonde hair, scarlet red eyes staring at him from the rim of the coffee mug. His bronzed skin was paling without the sun, though he was wearing one of Karkat’s hoodies, sweatpants and thick socks. If he could, Cronus was sure the Texan would be wearing gloves and a scarf. He was just a little taller than Karkat, so it wasn’t too tight a fit. Where Dirk was compacted, but lanky with muscle, Dave was lean and defined muscle with a softer face, and very faint smile lines at the corners of his eyes.  
  
“Mornin,” Dave said, taking a drink.  
  
“Vwell, you failed to eat all the bacon.”  
  
“Hey, I never said that I’d eat all _your_ bacon, just all the bacon. Meaning, all the bacon on my plate.” He said smugly.  
  
“Vwhatever, Crow boy.” Cronus snorted, failing to hide his own amusement. Dave’s lips quirked up in a small smile and he nodded in self-satisfied victory.  
  
“Cronus, did you take my breakfast?” Kankri’s voice called from the kitchen, followed by Kaliri’s laughter.

“I told you he’d eat it,” Karkat said, coming into the living-dining room, looking slightly less tired than normal. He wore boxers with little crabs on them, and Cronus was fairly certain the crabs had little sunglasses on them as well, and one of Dave’s hoodie’s. It was much bigger on him than on Dave. 

“Lookit you two, bein all cute and shit.” Cronus teased gently and Karkat blushed red. It was far too easy to rile him up. Dave just grinned, a small twitch of his lips, smug, and let Karkat swipe his coffee as he pulled his matesprit into his lap.  
  
“Dave, what the fuck?!” Karkat yelled, unable to flail with the coffee in his hands. Dave looked even more amused, and if it possible, smugger.  
  
“Awww, come on babe. I just wanted to cuddle you,” he plucked his coffee from Karkat’s hands with ease, Karkat distracted by his need to attempt to snap at Dave without tipping them out of the chair. Cronus watched as the short troll gave up on that endeavor and stole back Dave’s coffee, chugging half of it in one go just to spite him.  
  
“Fuck you, Strider.” But he was smiling as he said it, so he wasn’t really angry. The fact that he was also relaxing into his matesprits hold – the tense line of his shoulders softened, and his scowl lightened to a downward quirk of his lips – and not creating new ways to use the words fuck and you in Shakespearean levels of creativity and prose. Karkat’s ability to find new, long winded ways to curse were near legendary. Cronus personally had a few favorite’s he’d adopted into his own vocabulary, and he knew exactly how insulting they were, which made it all the better. 

“Mnhm, later Karkles,” Dave said with a smirk, stealing his coffee back.  
  
“I think that’s enough of implying of pailing at the breakfast table,” Kankri started, pausing the middle of his breakfast. “And honestly, could you two quiet down a little? It’s barely ten in the morning, and while I am more than awake enough,”  
  
“Kan, you’re ramblin again,” Cronus mumbled around a mouthful of bacon, poking Kankri in the shoulder gently.  
  
Kankri huffed but continued his breakfast as Kaliri came in, sitting next to Cronus, completing the circuit at the round table. 

“Alright, so plan of attack for today. Kankri, you’re making up the guest room for Eridan and Duncan, Mom didn’t want to spend the night tonight, and Porrim and Kanaya aren’t going to be staying very long, as far as I understand. Rose will be coming with Kanaya and Porrim around three, and Mom will be here around eleven, noon at the latest. Cro, your old man and brother will be here around the same time, with Camilia, Meenah and Feferi, and Silias will have Amaria. Sollux and Mituna will be here later, maybe two if they don’t get lost. Dave, when did you say Dirk would be here?”  
  
“Round dinner, Mr. Vantas.”

“Kaliri,” he said without missing a beat. “So, that’d be four or five, give or take an hour.” He nodded to himself. “Okay. And Kurloz and Gamzee will be here around one. Good. Nepeta and Meulin will be here when Amaria and Silas get here, so they can help keep people entertained, and make sure no one goes flying off the handle. Karkat, I want you with Dave, keeping things from escalating by actually sitting the fuck down and relaxing.”  
  
Karkat looked like he was going to argue but bit it back and sighed, nodding. “Fucking fine.”  
  
“Good. Cro, you’re helping me, your old man, and my mom with cooking the actual meal. Kan, you, Kurloz and Meulin can make desert if Porrim doesn’t stick around to help you three.”

Kankri nodded, finishing off his breakfast. “Alright, that’s fair. And what about later tonight? Are we still going to have the bonfire or no?” 

“I guess it depends on how many people are still here by the end,” Dave pointed out. “I mean, I know my bro will stay till the end and may crash out on the couch. Kanaya and Rose are gonna go off and do their own thing, that much I know. As for everyone else, depends on how much partying they wanna do.” 

“Hmnmnm… Cronus,” Kaliri turned to the human. “Are you still planning on singing?” 

“Yeah, vwhy? Ya not want me to now or somethin?”  
  
“No, just trying to find a way to entice people,” Kaliri said, a little absently, though he was smiling.  
  
“I feel like I should be vworried,” Cronus said slowly as Kankri snorted. 

“Well, eat up, drink coffee and go put your faces on for the day.” Kaliri said, draining the last of his coffee and looking far more alert than before. “We’ve got shit to do and only so many hours to finish it.”

“Did he go for a run and listen to a fucking human inspiration audio book?” Karkat asked Dave quietly, who snorted with amusement.  
  
“Hmn, your mother thinks I preach them,” he said, rolling his eyes a bit. “I do _not_ preach, do I Cronus?”  
  
“I dunno, chief. Kanny had to get it from somewhere, and your lecture halls are more like sermon’s.” 

Kaliri grinned and chuckled as Kankri squawked at Cronus indignantly,  
  
“I _do not preach!_ I simply state my opinions in well-organized fashion so to avoid confusion! If anything, I _debate._ Preaching could be considered rude, given that not everyone follows a religious or spiritual doctrine, or could even find that trig- _bothersome._ ”  
  
“Kankri, you literally just proved his point,” Dave pointed out with a lazy smirk, half hiding in Karkat’s bed head.  
  
Kankri opened his mouth to refute him and instead closed it, snorting at him and draining the last of his coffee.  
  
“Okay, okay. Before you two start off on one of your “great debates”, go and get ready for the day. You can argue later. And if you’re going to wrestle, _do it outside._ ”

“Yes, Dad,” 

“Yes, Mr. Vantas,”  
  
“It’s Kaliri, Dave. You’ve been dating Karkat for three years now, I think we’re well past formality.” He said with a smile and ruffled first Dave’s hair, then Kankri’s. “Now, git.’  
  
The three younger men nodded and took their dishes to the kitchen, leaving them on the counter before going upstairs to get dressed and ready for the day. Dave took the shower first, but he also took the least amount of time, aside from Cronus. Karkat and Kankri took excoriatingly long showers, almost thirty minutes per troll. It helped that they preferred cooler water with their high body temperature, so they didn’t really have to fight over the amount of hot water.  
  
As soon as Dave opened the door, Cronus started stripping in the hall, smirking. Dave held his hand over his eyes and said,  
  
“Dude, warning! No one wants to see your dick!”  
  
“Strider, everyone wants to see my dick. My dick pays rent and my dick pays quick,”  
  
“You _did not_ just meme the King of Irony,” Dave said after a beat lowering his hand and staring at Cronus, who was stripping out of his jeans.  
  
“Ya bet your flat as roadkill ass I did,” 

“My ass is not roadkill flat, fuck you,” but he was struggling to keep a grin down as he said it. 

Cronus snorted and stood in front of him in his boxers. Living with someone for so long really broke down any boundaries that normal people would have had. Cronus also knew that Dave wouldn’t stare or question the old white scars that littered his body. Dave himself had more than enough scars, all much, much longer and more prominent. Being “trained” mercilessly for years had fucked him and Dirk up.  
  
“Unless ya really don’t wanna see my dick, I suggest you get out of the bathroom,” Cronus said with a grin, steering his thoughts away from the scars. “I mean, unless you’re suddenly into quadrants beyond matesprits, but you’re also a little young,”  
  
“Oh my fucking god, no.” Dave said, face twisting up in mild horror. “Dude, just, no. You’re like, my older brother. That’s so gross.”  
  
“…I’m kidding, man.”

“Oh, thank god,” Dave smirked nonetheless, meaning he’d been fucking with Cronus just as much as Cronus had been with him, and left. “Karkles,” he called. “Do you have my clothes?”  
  
“Yeah, they’re right where you fucking left them! Half sprawled across my fucking floor, spilling out of your bag like some pseudo-intestinal tract of a hoofbeast!” Karkat yelled back, not even bothering to stick his head out the door. His voice carried all the way down the hall, which wasn’t hard since he was so loud, but it was still fairly impressive.  
  
“My bag is not that big,” Dave’s voice faded as he went into Karkat’s room and shut the door.  
  
Cronus just snickered and folded his clothes, shucked off his boxers and jumped into the shower. He took fast showers, preferred them to long, relaxing ones unless he’d had a long day, or he was covered in dirt. Baths were more his style, since he could soak for at least an hour in slowly cooling water and then drain it, refill it and repeat. He turned off the shower after he washed the conditioner out of his hair and took a towel, drying himself off quickly before drying his hair, first towel wrapped around his waist. He got pulled on his sweatpants and took his clothes with him to Kankri’s room, hanging the towels up to dry on the back of the door. 

Kankri didn’t look up as he came in, and instead pulled his book up further so his eyes were covered, giving Cronus a kind of privacy. He was comfortable around Kankri, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. He pulled out his clean clothes, jeans, new boxers, and a white shirt, and got dressed. He shucked off his sweatpants and threw them at his bag before he pulled on his clean boxers and jeans.   
  
“Kankri, I’m decent,” he said, amused as he tugged on his shirt. His hair was still wet, but it would dry soon, ans while it did, he would do his makeup and put on his bandanna. Rooting around his bag brought out a canvas zipper pouch. It was as tall as his hand, from the bottom of his palm to the tip of his middle finger, and almost eight inches long, and bulged slightly from the amount of makeup he had inside.  
  
“Cronus,” he didn’t look up when Kankri used that tone. It was sad, upset even.  
  
“I’ll be right back, Kan. Gonna go put on my face,” he said with false cheer, and went to the smaller bathroom down the hall.

There was a small shower there, usually only used by guests since that larger bathroom had a tub and better lighting. Amaria was working on fixing the lighting in it though. He shut the door and opened his makeup pouch, pulling out two different concealers, both liquid, and a powder he put on in between each layer, and his brushes. He didn’t hum as he opened the first bottle, a darker peach color, and pressing his finger over the mouth, tilted it and dabbed what came out over the scar on his temple.  Picking up the smaller brush, he dabbed at it, spreading it around and blending it in. He clicked his tongue when the makeup didn’t cover nearly as much as he would have liked and wiped it off, then tried again. His hands shook slightly, the nightmare still lurking in the back of his mind.  
  
“Cronus, Kaliri said you would be up here, and I assume that you’re decent,” Rose’s voice made him jolt and almost spill his concealer. She opened the door, and paused, staring at his neck and forehead for a split second. A dark red blush spread across his cheeks and something sharp started to form on his tongue. Before he could say anything though, she pursed her lips and sighed through her nose. “Come with me.” She didn’t give him a choice, grabbing his makeup kit and raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him.  
  
“I-Fine.” He grumbled, following her down the hall to the guest room. He could hear Kanaya coming up the stairs. “Weren’t you two supposed to be here later?” he asked.

“Yes, but my mother wanted us to come earlier, with her. She’s downstairs, surprising Kaliri,” Kanaya said, her voice smooth and airy. Cronus didn’t even have to strain to hear the excited yell that was cut off as Kaliri hugged his mother, Dolorosa, or simply Rosa. He half glared at Kanaya as her gaze flickered to the scars on his neck and then the ones on his temple, but she made no comment, instead following them into the guest room.

“Sit,” Rose said, gesturing to the bed and Cronus slumped there, crossing his arms and glaring at the woman who merely hummed to herself and looked through his own makeup kit. “You have a very good collection in here, Cronus. But, I would suggest instead of mangling brushes that you get a proper blending tool. Lucky for you, I bought a new one and have yet to use it.” 

She pulled a chair from the desk as Kanaya brought over a very large makeup box and set it at the end of the bed, in reach of Rose as she put the chair in front of Cronus. He stared at them both, incredulous, and blinked a few times. He’d been expecting an interrogation of some kind, something that resembled LaLonde’s usual pyscho-analysis bullshit and Kanaya’s meddling in his life. God knows she hadn’t done it before, and Rose was more than versed in trying to get him to crack.

“Cronus, are you here?” Rose asked, voice gentler than he’d ever heard it.  
  
“Yeah, vwhy ya askin, doll?”

“Because your eyes were glazed over. And if I’m going to be applying makeup to your face and neck, I don’t want you to start dissociating on us. I know Kankri isn’t far, but he’s currently in the shower and it would be difficult to retrieve him.” She explained, opening the black-green box, flipping the latches up and opening the lid. It separated into four shelves, two on either side, with a deep well in the middle that held brushes and various tools that he couldn’t name if he tried. And he was fairly well versed in makeup, after spending so long picking up tricks to cover bruises and then later, the scars. 

“Kankri would probably rant at ya both, and I can’t say I’d try to stop him,” Cronus snorted as Rose gave him a small smile.  
  
“Oh, I’m sure I could take him. I have in the past, and our verbal sparrings are something that I look forward to with great zeal.” 

Cronus just snorted. Rose gave him that same not-smile smile, that said she knew something he didn’t. This time, it was almost sad. His shoulders untensed a little as she said,  
  
“I would suggest that you try to use this,” she pulled out a concealer that looked a little thicker and closer to his skin color than his first concealer, “If you want to fully cover those marks. Now, sit still. Kanaya, can you get me the brushes?”  
  
“The broad ones or the smaller ones, dear?”

“Smaller, they work better for blending concealer with liquid.” 

“Right,” and as Rose started to dab around the scar on his temple, rather than directly on it like he’d expected, and used a dark purple sponge to press it and evenly spread it around his temple, Kanaya took out several brushes and some compacts.  
  
“…How the hell do ya know how to cover scars?” he asked. There was a specific way to do it, unlike applying regular makeup. It was almost like concealing a tattoo. If you put it on too thick, it would be obvious there was something there. Too thin, and the scars would show through. And he didn’t like having to apply makeup to his entire face. It made him itchy and the grease in the makeup would get under his nails. Rose was quiet for a moment, carefully tilting his face this way and that as she evenly spread the liquid foundation.  
  
“I grew up with Dave and Dirk, for a period of time.” She said. “Roxy grew up with us as well, but she was taken in by our aunt before the rest of us. Dave and Dirk received the brunt of it all, and I learned how to help them cover up the beatings very early on. Then, I was taken to our aunt’s. Dave and Dirk didn’t follow until six years and a long, drawn out court case later. Our father,” her hand tightened on the sponge for a moment but remained relaxed on his chin. “Was not a kind man. I hesitate to call him a man. He preferred to go by Bro more than anything, as if that he didn’t have a parental title would excuse his actions. Sorry,” she paused, taking a breath and Cronus blinked. He knew Dave and Rose had been twins, knew Dirk and Roxy had been raised with them. He _knew_ what happened to Dave and Dirk, much like they knew what’d happened to him. He didn’t expect Rose to _not_ know what’d happened to him.  
  
“…It was our mother,” he said softly, looking at her eyebrow, blurry as it was. He hadn’t put in his contacts yet, and his glasses were still in the bathroom. “I took the brunt of it so Eri wouldn’t have to.” 

“So, then Duncan,” Rose started, taking the brush and looking at some of the powder’s Kanaya had pulled out, and picked one that looked fairly close to his skin. 

“Adopted us, yeah.” 

Rose made a soft noise of understanding and Kanaya looked like she was torn between tearing someone apart and hugging Rose and Cronus as tightly as she could. Instead, she rested her fingers on his shoulder, barely applying pressure. He tensed for a moment then relaxed and she pressed a little harder, put her palm on his shoulder and her thumb on his collarbone. The coolness of her skin, not quite cold but definitely not warm, was soothing and he relaxed. She squeezed once, then left her hand there as Rose started to blend the powder into his temple. Silence, but comfortable silence, fell over the three of them until Rose started to cover up the scars on his neck.  
  
“May I ask,” she started, then stopped. One of her hands was gently tilting his head to the side as one of Kanaya’s threaded through his hair, trying to get him to stay calm. It was working. Her other hand still rested on his shoulder, a soothing weight. Rose’s fingers were warm as they worked against the white scars on his neck, the sponge soft and gave a little as she spread and pressed.  
  
“It was before the trial, when vwe vwere younger. She was angry, and drunk, and decided if vwe were so much trouble, vwhy’d she’d even keep us in the first place.” His voice was soft but hard as steel, the slight speech impediment popping back up even as his bad Jersey-Brooklyn accent disappeared. “I vwoke up in a hospital, Eridan and Meenah next to me and Pops not far behind. I couldn’t speak.”  
  
“Because of what she did,” it wasn’t a question, and Cronus had never heard her voice so low and dangerous. He almost flinched.  
  
“Yeah,” he said instead, and he could hear Kanaya forcing herself to take deep, steady breaths.  
  
Rose didn’t speak for several long minutes, instead working to smooth out all the foundation and cover every square inch of the scars.  
  
“May I ask if she gave those to you?”  
  
“Surgery did,” he said, voice a little flat. He’d explained this enough times to count on one hand, now two, and it still wasn’t easy. He doubted it would ever get easier. “They had to fix my vocal chords, and then speech therapy and Pops put us both in therapy for years, until we were sure that we were functioning.”

“I have an appointment next Thursday,” Rose said simply.  
  
“…Next Friday,” he said softly.  
  
“There’s no shame in it,” She said, voice oddly soft once more. Understanding. “Tilt your head away from me please,” and she started in with the brush and powder. “Help is help. I know Dave and Dirk know what’s happened. And I know they still go to their therapists. Trauma is intense and takes many years to get over.” 

“You think I don’t know that?” he asked, and Rose pulled away to give him a look.  
  
“I know you hide, either as a defense mechanism or as a reaction, behind a bad accent when your own is perfectly fine to listen to, and that you cover your scars. Why?”  
  
He almost squirmed but Kanaya’s hand in his hair kept him from moving too far and Rose was at his neck again with the brush. He could barely move. He was almost tempted to clam up and refuse to speak, but she was staring at him, her eyes a haunting purple – a genetic defect according to Dave when he asked why three of the Strider-LaLonde’s had such a strange eye color – and found he couldn’t look away. A weird feeling crawled up his spine and he was hard pressed not to itch it.  
  
“I- It’s,” he paused, closing his eyes. The feeling of the brush was almost more intense. “It’s habit,” 

“Habit?”  
  
“I used to act like a greaser, adopted the tough personality and shit cause it made me feel like I vwas tough enough to hold back everything.” 

“Everything being _her_ ,” Rose said, voice remarkably steady though he could feel the faint shake in the brush as her hand shook for a moment.  
  
“Yeah,”

“I used to pretend that I could solve everything,” Rose offered up. “That my books and enough research would answer all the problems. Reading, researching, gaining knowledge. Anything. I thought, foolishly, if I looked hard enough, tried hard enough, then I could become like a seer.”  
  
“Like a vwizard?” he asked, almost a whisper.  
  
She paused then let out a long breath and said, “Yes, like a wizard.”

“I used to be into that shit,” he said, bitter smile on his face. “Vwhen I vwas really fuckin stupid, and thought it vwould work.”

“Looked up spells and charms?” she guessed, and he nodded.  
  
“Thought if I followed it, then I vwould protect Eridan and me from that bullshit. Never did it in front of that bitch but tried it anyways. Never vworked.”

Rose gently tilted his head to the other side and started the process over. “Yes. I tried the same. Spells I would…chant under my breath, silly as it seems. Wishing and praying for it to work. They never did. If anything, it seemed to make it worse.” 

Cronus almost winced in sympathy. “Why the fuck is there so much bullshit?”

“We’re only human,” Rose said with a sardonic smile. “I assume it’s because we tried too hard and the negative came instead of the positive.” 

“Probably,” he sighed. Kanaya squeezed his shoulder once more, reassuringly, and her claws scratched just right at his scalp. 

Quietly, Kanaya said, “I think that these experiences have shaped you, all of you. I have no way to properly understand the pain you have been through, but I will not give you the human equivalent of pity, Cronus. If you are like Rose and her littermates, I assume it would do no good. I will say, however, that you are a better man than that you seem to perceive yourself.”

“How do ya figure?” he asked, opening his eyes and looking at her. It made his head hurt a little, looking at her sidelong, but it didn’t quite matter. Kanaya was looking at him, jade green eyes piercing, her green high collar shirt, sleeves non-existent, hugged her body in a way that would look stunning if the angle that he was looking at her didn’t make it look distorted. He could see her skirt, black with a careful red embroidery, just at the very corner of his vision. Her fangs peeked out over her bottom lip as she smiled kindly.  
  
“Because, I know you, and I have been with Rose for almost four years now, since our graduation from high school. I’ve known Kankri for sweeps, and yet since he met you, he has changed, for the better. He used to be Insufferable, but when you became his moirail, I noticed over the span of about a year, he began to change. He listened to other people, he complained less, he didn’t make long winded speeches as often until he almost stopped, and he stopped using the word trigger warning almost entirely.” 

Cronus cracked a smile at that. He could remember the old Kankri quite clearly. He pissed him off to no end, and really, he’d wanted to punch the troll in the face more than once, but he never did. They’d fallen into a moiraillegiance almost accidentally, but he’d never been so happy for an accident.  
  
“By your expression, I assume you’re thinking about Kankri,” her voice was warm with amusement, and her lips pulled up into a smile.

Rose smiled, he could hear it in her voice as she said, “Ah, pale love.” 

“Fuck you,” but he couldn’t help chuckling.  
  
“Hmn, I will have to decline your invitation, Cronus. Head back a little please, thank you,” and she swept the brush in slow, easy circles around the scars. “I assume you’ve been doing this for a while, so why haven’t you upgraded your brushes or supplies?”

“Why are you usin yours on me?” he countered.  
  
“Because I have a cleaner to make sure my brushes are properly cleaned in between each use. Old make up can be very bad for your skin.”  
  
“Yeah, I know. I do the same,” he huffed, crossing his arms.  
  
“Well?”  
  
He sighed and loosened his crossed arms. “I usually wear a bandanna, so I don’t have to cover them with makeup. It takes a long ass time to do it properly and I,” he stopped, trying to find the right words. 

“You don’t like people staring and asking questions, I assume?” Rose guessed.  
  
“Yeah,” he sighed.  
  
“Is that why you wear a long-sleeved jacket at every opportunity?” Kanaya asked carefully, unsure where his limits were despite the general theme of the conversation.

He almost nodded before Rose grunted and he sighed and said,  
  
“Yeah. Ya can’t really _see_ the ones on my arms, but it’s comfortable.”

“Easier?” Rose guessed.  
  
He shrugged. “I guess.”

“Well,” she sat back and gently tilted his head from side to side. “That is the best I can do for your neck. May I ask why Kaliri and Kankri looked a little upset when they said you’d be in the bathroom?”  
  
“Can I ask vwhy the hell you just vwalked in?” 

“Answer mine, I will answer yours,” Rose said primly.  
  
Cronus grumbled and almost stood up but something in him didn’t want to leave just yet. He closed his eyes for a moment and focused on Kanaya’s fingers in his hair. The action, for a troll, would be almost alarmingly pale but then he had to wonder if it was because she’d spent so much time with humans that she’d stopped caring about quadrants, or if she’d ever cared about them in the first place, like Kaliri, Rosa, Amaria and, Silias.  
  
“Cause, they don’t vwant me to feel like I have to hide myself. It’s habit at this point. My turn.”  
  
“I walked in because, as I said earlier, I lived with two males for most of my life. I know what it sounds like when you’re taking a piss, and you would have likely already showered if Kankri was going to shower and Dave had already styled his hair. There was no sign of your being indecent, and I wanted to talk to you. Does your father know you cover up your scars?”  
  
“Yeah,” he shrugged. “He told me to do vwhatever made me comfortable.”

“I would assume that the habit of covering your scars would make you more prone to panic, though,” Rose pointed out. “A heightened state of awareness at all times due to, I presume, covering beatings and healing scars because if anyone found out, it’d be worse. Am I right so far?”  
  
‘ _Now I remember why I don’t like talking to this chick,_ ’ he thought with a tense frown. ‘ _She’s way to fucking good at this shit. It’s like talking to Dave and Dirk all over again._ ’ 

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“So,” she prompted.  
  
“I don’t cover up all the marks,” he said finally. “I’ve been slowly changing that habit. After I got the surgery, soon as I could, I started wearing makeup and bandannas. Part of me still wanted to be the greaser, I guess. Slicked back my hair, took it and ran vwith it. Pops kept me from doin anything too stupid, but the greaser was just something I took up.” He shrugged. “I stopped covering the slits on my inner arms and the few scars I have from vwhen the bitch left them where they’d be visible. I used to cover them all the time, then stopped and changed to vwearin jackets and just bandanna’s. They feel better round my neck, cause I can control how tight I tie them," 

“So, it’s a control thing with you too,” Rose said, voice soft and contemplative. “It’s the same for Dave and Dirk,”

“Their shades,” Cronus said with a nod.  
  
“Yes. It’s a psychological necessity for them, when they’re in public. They only take them off when they’re comfortable or sleeping. And sometimes even then,” she trailed off, looking away for the first time during the whole conversation.  
  
“Yeah,” Cronus said softly, arms unfolding and hands resting on the bed, plucking at the sheets a bit.

“Well,” Rose said after a beat. “I think that’s enough emotional outpouring for one day. We’ll end up exhausting each other at that point,”

‘ _That’s oddly uncharacteristic of her,_ ’ he thought, staring at her with a raised brow.

“What?” he asked, ever eloquent. 

“You’re looking worn down and besides, I believe Kaliri will need you in the kitchen soon. I have learned, Cronus,” she said, crossing her arms with a small smirk.

He snorted and stood, making a move to grab his makeup kit but Kanaya snatched it up before he could.  
  
“I will give this back to you later tonight, I promise,” she said. “I just want to change out some of the old makeup with new makeup.”

“You don’t have to,” he started but Kanaya gently bopped him on the head with the canvas case.  
  
“I will because I want to. Now, off with you,” she grinned faintly, and Cronus sighed, but left to go finish getting ready for the day. 

Rose looked at Kanaya and gave her a slight smile.  
  
“I know that look. Hasn’t Kaliri already partially adopted Cronus? Doesn’t that make him your family already?”  
  
“Oh, no. I wasn’t thinking about that.” Kanaya said, not looking at Rose as she pulled out all of Cronus’ makeup and started examining it with a critical eye. “I was merely thinking about how much he has opened up, and I have to wonder if it is because of your own understanding, or something else. That, and I couldn’t help but think he was pathetic, in a strange human-troll sense.”  
  
“Should I be worried about you having pale feelings for him, Kanaya?” Rose teased.  
  
“Rose!”  
  
She just smiled and held up her hands. “I jest, love.”  
  
“Still,” Kanaya grumbled, sorting out the brushes by how damaged they were. “That wasn’t a very funny joke. I expect better out of you, even with your human sarcasm.”  
  
“We’ll keep an eye on him, Kanaya, don’t worry. He’s very much like Dave and Dirk. Hiding himself away from the world and denying emotions. Though, we won’t interfere. That wouldn’t be very polite, or so I’m told.” The mischief in her eyes and her coy smirk made Kanaya smile and sigh.  
  
“Oh, my dear.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Rose’s cheek then added, “We should probably clean this up. I hear Eridan will be staying in this room and I don’t want to give him a reason to bitch.”  
  
“Oh, yes. Cronus’ younger brother. Right,” she started to back up her own makeup kit and straightened out the bed. “This will certainly be an interesting night. I wonder how Cronus is doing with your mother-lusus.”  
  
“Mom, you have to let him breathe!” came Kaliri’s voice and Rose raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Apparently that well.”

Downstairs, Rosa was hugging Cronus tight enough to practically suffocate him. Not that he wasn’t hugging her just as tight. She smelled like earth and jasmine tea, and her deceptively frail appearance belied her strength. She was a tall, slender woman, nearly six feet, seeming to float from room to room. She wore a simple green-black dress with a dark jade wool shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her thick, short cut black hair had a few tinges of grey in it, and tickled Cronus’ forehead as she half bowed over him to hold him. She radiated calm and control, a kind of warmth that didn’t come from body heat. She was the closest thing to a grandmother Cronus had since Alana had died. He didn’t really care that he couldn’t breathe properly, he just wanted to hug her.  
  
“Oh, of course. I’m sorry dear,” her voice was rich and rolling, almost lyrical as it rose and fell.  
  
“S’kay,” he mumbled, barley letting up his hold. She smiled into his hair and rubbed the base of his head, humming a little. 

Kaliri looked like he wanted to hug them both but held himself back. Instead, he busied himself with pulling together the rest of the ingredients for dinner that night. There was chicken, beef and ingredients for gumbo, though how it all was made Kaliri didn’t have a clue. Duncan and Cronus were the only two who knew how the spices and meat were married, and neither were very inclined to share their recipes.

Finally, they separated with Rosa giving Cronus a kiss on his forehead and patting his head.  
  
“You’ve grown a little bit,” she grinned, and he snorted.  
  
“Right, I think you’re getting a little old if you think I’m taller, Rosa.”

She just laughed and gave him a gentle push towards the fridge, where Kaliri was starting to pull out various vegetables and struggling to hold them all.  
  
“Mnmn, I don’t know if taller is what I was talking about. Now, go help Kaliri. I think he may actually be trying to carry the entire produce section he bought.”

Cronus laughed and did as he was asked, grabbing the large gumbo pot and taking the more precarious vegetables from his arms, put them inside the pot. Kaliri stared at him for a minute, a bit of red tint coming to the tips of his ears as he muttered,  
  
“Why didn’t I think of that?”  
  
“Cause, you haven’t had to cook gumbo,” Cronus said with a smile and went to the stove, pulling the food out of the pot before he grabbed an apron, a sharp knife and a cutting board and started to cut the onions.  
  
Kaliri and Rosa watched him for a moment, sharing identical smiles, before they grabbed their own supplies and started to work. The kitchen was fairly large, with the stove and oven two separate entities, the stove at the very end of the island and the oven adjacent to it, already pre-heating for the bread dough Porrim had made the night before and brought with her. The gas stove had six burners, more than enough for everything they would have to cook that day. Cronus set the giant metal pot on the first burner, closest to the small section of counter space he’d claimed as his own. Kaliri was a foot down from him, cutting up the chicken breast with easy movements as Rosa took the island with the sink and dishwasher, working on making a few sauces at once. They made a fairly steady headway, simply talking about whatever came to mind, which ranged from what Kaliri had seen on his jog that morning to the books they’d been reading. Cronus had just finished cleaning out the shrimp when the door opened, and a loud, slightly raspy voice called,  
  
“Oi, Kaliri! You better have space!”

“Silias!!” Kaliri called back, a large smile coming across his face. He set down his knife and wiped his hands on the wet dish towel he’d put over his shoulder in lieu of washing his hands. Before he could go and hug his moirail, however, Rosa coughed, and he sighed, going to the sink to properly wash the grease and juices from the meat from his hands. Soon as he was done, he ran to go hug the other troll. He came back in after a few minutes, smiling wide. Cronus snickered before he heard,  
  
“Crofish!!” and a bubbly Feferi Peixes was running down the short hall towards the kitchen. He’d barely stepped out of the kitchen to meet her when she barreled into him and hugged him tight. She came up to his chest, and was still growing, that much was obvious. But, she looked ridiculously happy to see him. He chuckled and hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her waist to haul her up and swing her gently side to side.  
  
“Uofff,” he grunted, holding her up. “Ya got more muscle than I remember, Princess.” 

Feferi giggled, her bright amber eyes glittering behind her bright fuchsia glasses. Her green-blue dress skirts swished a little as he gently swung her side to side, her hair once more long and curly. It tickled his nose, but it felt good to hug her. Her hair smelled like peaches and a little bit of hair grease, and then there was the underlying smell of chlorine and ocean, sand and seaweed, and something a little sweet. He almost choked when Feferi tightened her arms around his neck and whispered,  
  
“You look happy, Cronus,”

Before she let go of him and wriggled out of his grip, running into the great room, calling,  
  
“Karcrab!!”  
  
“What the fuck-OH HOLY FUC-!”  
  
Karkat was pounced on by an excited Feferi, Dave barley moving in time to avoid the same treatment. Karkat landed under Feferi on the couch, hugging her back to keep her from falling off.  
  
“What the shit, Feferi?! Can you not crush me in a hug?! Jegus,”

Feferi just laughed and said, “You’re silly, Karcrab. Don’t be so mad, I just wanted to hug you! I haven’t sean you in ages!”  
  
Karkat just snorted and hugged her back, grumbling. Dave smirked and shook his head, plopping down beside them.  
  
“How’ve you been, Fef?”  
  
“Oh, Dave!!” and suddenly Dave was the one who had a lap full of excited, bone crushing teenager. “I’ve missed you too!”  
  
“Erk-Feelings mutual, if I could feel my damn spine so I could think.” He wheezed. 

“Fef! Let the skinny white bouy go!” Meenah’s voice called from the hall. “Reely don’t wanna have a dead body in the livin room, Mama’d kick your ass for shore. Oh, heya Clownfish,” her smile was almost like a shark as she pulled him into a hug.

Meenah Peixes was five feet of lean sass. Her hair was short, shorter than a pixie cut, but two long braids that nearly touched the floor hung over her shoulders. She wore bright pink lipstick, the same fuchsia glasses as her sister, but that’s where the similarities ended in fashion taste. Where Feferi liked pastels and bright bubbly colors, Meenah preferred black, pink and gold. On everything. Her nails were long and perfectly manicured to a sharp point, almost like claws, glittering pink and gold. Her shirt was cut to show off some of her midriff when she moved in a certain way, and her jeans hung almost too low on her razor blade hips, held up by her black and pink belt. Her wrists had two gold bracelets that he was fairly certain had actual gemstones in them, and her ears were pierced four times over on either side, also gold.  
  
Her dark brown eyes practically glittered as she pulled away from Cronus, though her arms were still wrapped around his neck. Her smile tamed from a shark grin to something softer, and he grinned back.  
  
“Sooo, I heard that ya got a bouyfriend,”

And immediately, he missed the shark grin.  
  
“Fuck off, Minnow,” he grunted, gently shoving her. That just made her cackle and somehow, she reached up and ruffled his hair, grinning wide once more. She looked over his shoulder and grinned impossibly wider.  
  
“Fin by me, Clownfish,” before she skipped away, calling,  
  
“Shouty McNubby Horns! Krabby! Cool kid! Nosy! There y’all are! Fef, get off the Cool kid before he surfocates, Mama said no makin dead bouies.”  
  
“Awww,” but Feferi climbed off of him as Kankri half-heartedly glared at the short human as Porrim laughed, hugging her.  
  
“Have you seen Rose and Kanaya?” Feferi asked Dave who shrugged.  
  
“Who the fuck knows with those two. They’re probably off doing something coupely and shit.”  
  
“Well, we should go and find them!” Feferi said, standing before she caught Meenah’s eye and grinned. “Although, maybe we should leave them to their own thing for a little longer.”  
  
Cronus blinked, turning around just as two pairs of arms wrapped around him.  
  
“Cronus!!” Nepeta yelled, almost in his ear, and he flinched at the noise and sudden hug. “Oh, sorry,” she said, voice softer. She was warm and heavy around his neck and against his back, though she’d carefully put her arms more around his shoulders, so she didn’t accidentally strangle him. Her voice was higher than Meulin’s and he could see she was wearing her favorite olive-green jacket that went too far over her hands and she refused to roll up. He managed to reach a hand up and squeeze her forearm, feeling the rock-hard muscle underneath. Meulin was squeezing them both, half tucking his head under hers. Her sweater was warm against his cheek and smelled like flour and sugar, and paints. She was a solid line against his body, pressing him close and squeezing his ribs and left arm so tight he was worried about losing circulation for a second.  
  
“Hi!!” Meulin purred, hugging them both tight before Nepeta let go and they scampered off, both pouncing on the couch. 

He barely got his breath back when the hairs on the neck of his neck stood up and the faint smell of ozone and honey was beside him.    
  
“Hey, Cronuth,” Sollux said, pausing from his phone to look at him and give him a lopsided smirk. His fangs were more prominent that way, and Cronus smirked back at him. After a moment they fist bumped, grinning at each other. Sollux let a few sparks jump into his hand, and Cronus aimed to hit his finger bones. They both had to shake out their hands, but they were grinning. Sollux wore his favorite yellow-gold hoodie that covered up how skinny he was, his black shirt had some galaxy pattern on it and his skinny jeans were practically painted on his legs, which was about the only way they’d stay up. His voice wasn’t quite nasally or deep, instead creating a very odd mix that was still fairly pleasant to listen to. A shock that made his hair stand on end hand him spinning around to face the only other culprit.  
  
“Heya, asshole,” Mituna grinned, making Cronus snort and try to smooth out his now untamed hair with one hand, the other flipping the older Captor off. He had a yellow beanie that hung more off his horns than his actual head it seemed and wore an almost garishly bright yellow hoodie with black accents on the sleeves, and his ripped up black jeans. His right knee had a brace, likely from one of his may failed attempts to skateboard. His voice was more nasal, and he rolled words together, switching between lazy and drawling to quick and sharp. It was like verbal whiplash.  
  
“Hey, shit for brains,”  
  
Mituna laughed and let his hair go back to mostly normal, static shock still jumping a little, then joined his brother and their friends. Strong, heavy muscle-bound arms suddenly wrapped around him and pulled him in tight, as a husky, warm voice purred,  
  
“Hello little kit,” Amaria Leijon was a huge woman, tall as Kaliri and just as muscular. Her thick mane, some of it dreadlocked, fell around him in a curtain of hair, a few new braids dyed green, red, purple, and gold. She smelled strongly of coffee and snow, and a bit of recycled air from the plane. Cronus smiled and turned in her hold, hugging her back. Amaria had been in the Marines with Duncan and had decided early on that she was going to pseudo-adopt Cronus and Eridan once she met them.  

“Hi,” he mumbled into her chest, feeling safe in her arms.  
  
“Amaria!” Kaliri’s excited voice almost made him step away but the taller troll came up and wrapped a hot hand around his shoulder and then his other arm around Amaria, effectively half way sandwiching him between them but still giving him room to breathe. She purred, the sound rumbling underneath Cronus’ ear, as one of her arms left him and wrapped around Kaliri and she kissed her matesprit quickly. He felt smooshed, but it was comfortable, warm and safe. Something unfamiliar weaseled its way into his chest. He couldn’t completely understand it.  
  
“Hello, my love,” her rich, husky voice could only be described as smoky and warm. “I see we have a fur house. And more coming, I assume? Are Cami and Dun in yet?”

“Mama’s outside with Mr. Captor and Mr. Ampora, helping them move bags!” Feferi called from the living room, giggling a little.

Cronus’s ears perked up when he heard that and squirmed in their hold.  
  
“Cronus? What’s wrong?” Kaliri stepped away enough to give him some room to move.

Amaria just grinned and watched Cronus sprint down the hall and throw the door open. He jumped off the porch, stumbling for a moment, before he sprinted across the lawn towards the gravel driveway where several cars had been parked. But, the only one he cared about was the dark blue BMW SUV, where the older Captor was helping Duncan grab bags as Camilia and Eridan started to pack things back in a bright red Lexus. There were two bags resting, a recognizable, rich royal purple, a few feet away from the car as they put the rest of the bags back in the trunk.   

“DAD!!” he shouted, and Duncan barely had time to brace himself before Cronus was hugging him tight as he could, smiling so wide he was sure that his face was going to stick like that and he didn’t care. He could feel tears at the corners of his eyes and he didn’t care that he was crying. All that mattered was that his dad was there. He could feel familiar, warm strong arms wrap around him and hold him close as possible, and the low rumble of,  
  
“Cro, oh fuck, I’ve missed ya lad, I’ve missed you so, so much,”

Suddenly, there was weight at his back and he could feel his shirt getting wet as Eridan clung to him and cried.  
  
“Cronus!” he hiccupped. “I missed you, I missed you so much, oh my god,”

He laughed and tugged his younger brother in between him and Duncan, creating an Ampora sandwich.  
  
“Hey, Eri,” he mumbled, squeezing his brother tight as he could while Duncan hugged them both.  
  
“Well, that’s both touching and fucking cavity inducing. I’m going inside.” Silias said from behind Duncan. Cronus could almost hear his smirk. He just didn’t care.  
  
“What the shell am I, chum?” Camilia’s voice came from behind him after what felt like an age but was probably only a few minutes, if that.  
  
Duncan pulled himself away from his son’s and snorted. “As if you’d let anyone forget about you, Cami. I thought you were excited to _sea_ the others again,” 

“Awww, lookat you. Tryin to make fish puns like me,” she smirked and Duncan snorted again, rolling his eyes.  
  
“After spendin last night and pretty much all of today with ya, yeah. I’m infected with your fish puns. Fuck off,” but he was smiling and Camilia snorted, smirking.  
  
“Whale, I know you’re gonna have to deal with two trolls on ya own. Come here, Cro. I haven’t sea’n ya in months.” Camilia Peixes was a tall, elegant woman at almost six feet tall. She carried her long limbs with grace and poise, and her pink and black pinstripe pants suit would have been an eyesore on anyone else. Her bright pink glasses were curved slightly at the edges, and her eyeliner looked like it could cut someone. 

‘ _I wonder if she actually could cut a bitch with just a look,_ ’ Cronus thought as she pulled him into a hug. Her thick braids were held back at the base of her skull with a gold circle hairpiece, but they still were tossed over her shoulder. She smelled like recycled air, ink, cinnamon and dark chocolate all at once. He squirmed as her perfectly manicured nails, much like Meenah’s, ruffled his hair.  
  
“Aww, guppie, ya ain’t gotta run from me.” Her shark like smile was disturbing as it always was. Where Meenah’s could be scary, it belied her sarcasm and her tendencies to annoy him. Camilia’s shark smile made him feel like he was staring at a great white.  
  
“I think I heard Kaliri callin me, so I should go and see what he vwants,” he muttered, squirming out of her grasp. He gave her a smile and followed Eridan, who’d grabbed the bags, back into the house.  
  
“Vwhat the hell are you carryin bags for?” he asked as they walked inside.    
  
“Dad and I are staying here with you. Mr. Vantas said that it was a better idea than a hotel, and then,” he paused, looking down the hall before leaning in conspiratorially. Or really, leaning upwards since he was still shorter than Cronus. “I think Dad and Mr. Vantas were flirtin,”

Cronus snorted and rolled his eyes. Though, he could see that happening. "Vwhater ya say, Eri. Go put your shit upstairs." 

Eridan grumbled, nose wrinkling in annoyance but did as he was asked. Bitching all the while under his breath, until he disappeared upstairs. Cronus just rolled his eyes and turned as the door opened once more, and Duncan put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Are you alright, Cronus?”  
  
“Yea, fin,” he said absently, and he could almost hear Duncan’s eyeroll.  
  
“Ya a shit liar, boy. Do you want to take a walk or-?”  
  
“No, just… Vwhy didn’t ya tell me you and Eri were gonna stay here? I thought you vwere stayin at a hotel. That’s what you said last week.” He knew he sounded like a child, and really, he was ecstatic to have his small family so close, but it hurt a little that he hadn’t told him. 

“Did you just compare my house to a hotel?” Kaliri called, amused, from the kitchen.  
  
“No!” Cronus and Duncan called back in unison.  
  
A little softer, Duncan explained, “I didn’t say anything because I knew about it literally on the way here. Cami cancelled the hotel bookings and got my money back last night, since she and Feferi are going to spend the week with Meenah at her apartment. Have you seen it yet?”  
  
His attempt to change the conversation was as subtle as a wave crashing over them, but Cronus didn’t let it go.  
  
“No, I haven’t. Meenah got busy with vwork and I didn’t wanna be a bother. Vwhy didn’t ya say anythin, Pops?”  
  
Duncan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I wasn’t kiddin, Cro. Kaliri literally told me about stayin with him and Amaria two days ago and had me cancel the hotel booking, which Cami did last night. I didn’t tell ya because I thought you’d like the surprise.”  
  
Cronus felt his shoulders untense and gave a sheepish smile. He could feel a bit of guilt creep up in his throat like bile and swallowed it back. He hugged the taller man and mumbled,  
  
“Vwell, yeah… Course I like it. I love it. I’m just happy to have you two _here_ and not in New Orleans. I missed you guys so _so_ much,”  
  
He felt strong arms wrap around him once more and sighed, relaxing completely. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just happy to have the other close. It’d been close to a year since they’d been in the same room, and Cronus has missed his father more than he thought possible. He knew from the way that Duncan was holding him close as he possibly could that he’d felt the same way.  
  
“If you two are done blocking the hallway, we need help in the kitchen.” Amaria said, leaning against the wall. She was smiling though, her long hair held back in a loose braid. Duncan pulled away, clicking his tongue at her and shaking his head.  
  
“Get your ass over here, Lieutenant. Your hair is a fucking mess.”  
  
“When is it ever not a mess?” she laughed but turned around and let him undo the loose braid, if it could even be called that, and ran his fingers through it, combing it out best he could before deftly braiding it and with a tuck, had the tail neatly pulled through the bottom part.  
  
“I know how much you hate scrunchies,” he said as Amaria ran her fingers over the thick braid of dreadlocks and hair.  
  
She grinned, slightly crooked fangs flashing before she kissed him on the cheek and purred,  
  
“Thanks, Dun,” and then went into the living room, calling, “Alright! Everybody up! We’re going to go build a proper bonfire!”

There was some complaining but Cronus could hear her getting everyone up and ready to brave the cooling day. Duncan, on the other hand, seemed to be frozen in place and it took Rosa coming out to see what all the commotion was about, and then gently patting his cheek to get him to snap out of it.  
  
‘ _Holy shit… Wait, did Rosa just… Pap my dad?_ ’ the thought was a little jarring. He didn’t think his dad _did_ quadrents, or even fully understand them.  
  
“Uh…What just..?” came the ever eloquent and thought-provoking question.

Rosa smiled as Duncan shook off his shock. “Come on, we have food to cook for many hungry mouths, and I fear Kaliri may be trying to cook the gumbo.”

That got Duncan moving. “Kali, I swear to fuck, if you're fuckin up my gumbo recipe, I’m gonna use ya as a bench press!” he ran into the kitchen, leaving Rosa and Cronus behind in the hallway.

“Promise?” Kaliri laughed.  
  
“Cronus?” Rosa asked, looking at him in a kind of concern that made him want to squirm. He wasn’t used to having someone mother hen him, be it Duncan, Camilia, Kaliri, Jade, Rosa… Anyone. It felt strange, to have that kind of attention, smothering and caring, and not yet oppressive, directed solely at him. He was barely used to it from Kankri. It almost felt like too much.  
  
“Yeah?” he asked, after too long a pause.  
  
She didn’t say anything, simply walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I understand that that exchange may have been confusing, but I will tell you that I see your father as good friend of Kaliri and Amaria’s. If anything, I am not pale for him, more motherly.”  
  
“Yeah…” he mumbled, shaking his head. “I don’t have an issue with any of that. Just… I’m glad to see Pops happy. And I guess just… not used to any of this?”

Rosa merely smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder gently. “Come on, dear. Everyone is waiting, and Kaliri and Duncan can only hold down the cooking for so long. I believe that strange feeling you are experiencing is known as familial love. Just wait until you want to punch someone.”

Cronus snorted but let Rosa guide him to the kitchen. Once there, he dove into cooking. Chopping, stirring, gutting and cleaning shrimp and crab, it all melded together in a kind of seamless, time consuming dance. It felt good, to be in a full kitchen, full of swelling chatter and laughter. Kaliri and Duncan poked fun at each other, and more often than not made the other try what they were cooking. Kaliri had to drink two glasses of milk after Cronus had him try a sauce he’d been making to add to the gumbo. Duncan took a new spoon and dipped it into the sauce, tasting it as Kaliri was starting on his second glass and snorted.  
  
“That’s mild, Kali.”  
  
“I actually have taste buds!” Kaliri snapped back. “Shit fucking _shit,_ that was painful!”

“Vwell, guess I’ll make sure that’s separated then,” Cronus said with a small smile, grinning just as Dirk, Gamzee and Kurloz walked in. On Dirk’s back was his guitar case and the blonde nodded to Cronus, Duncan, Kaliri and Rosa.  
  
“Hey.”  
  
Gamzee gave a lazy smile and a sleepy wave. “What’s up? Have you seen Karbro around here?” 

Kurloz merely gave a nod and a small smile.  
  
“He should be outside with the others, helping them set up for tonight’s bonfire dear,” Rosa explained. “You can’t miss them.”  
  
“I think I saw them when we were coming in,” Dirk said with a nod. “Come on Gamzee, let’s go see if we can find our bro’s. Cronus, I’m leavin your guitar in the living room.”

He nodded and waved the sauce spoon as Dirk and Gamzee left.  
  
“Lead the way D-Stri,” Gamzee said with a grin, stuffing his hands into his pockets and slouching. His purple converse squeaked slightly on the wood floor as he turned easily on his heel, long black jeans baggy and barely held up by his belt, his hoodie a dark indigo. Dirk wore his usual tight black jeans and a clean shirt, though even from a distance, Cronus could smell sweat, grease and motor oil on him.  
  
“What’re you makin, brother?” Kurloz asked, leaning against the island, staring at Cronus.  
  
He looked up and gave him a grin. “Sauce for gumbo. Want a taste?” 

Kurloz looked at him and shrugged. “S’why I asked.” He opened his mouth, tongue a dark grey-purple and teeth dagger sharp, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.  
  
“It’s hot,” he warned, feeling a twinge of guilt for not telling him and Kurloz shrugged, mouth still open and waiting. Cronus has to shove down that unknown feeling and scooped up a fair amount of the sauce before feeding it to the slightly hunching troll. His teeth scraped on the metal and his pursed his lips a little before letting go and swallowing, smacking his lips.  
  
“Tastes pretty good, motherfucker.” He said with a grin and Cronus stared at him before a large smile erupted across his face.  
  
“Vwell, you’re probably the first one who tried this and didn’t spew fire.”

Kurloz chuckled and shook his head. “You make something that’s actually spicy, tell me.” He smiled a bit, a strange, almost soft look in his haunting purple eyes. Cronus felt that strange feeling start to bud in his chest again and had to resist the urge to rub his chest to get rid of it. Kurloz blinked and startled when he looked over Cronus’ head and said, “I’m going to make sure no one does anything stupid. Call me when the kitchen’s free,” and with that, he quickly left.  
  
“Gumbo is starting to boil, Cronus,” Duncan pointed out idly, amused. 

“Shit!” he turned the heat down and tried to stir the stew-like concoction and managed to keep it from burning, sighing.  
  
“So, that’s Kurloz?” Duncan asked after a moment, Kaliri and Rosa barely hiding their own amusement.  
  
“Yeah,” Cronus said, distracting himself with cooking.  
  
“Gotta say, you could do worse,”

“Pops!”  
  
Duncan, Kaliri and Rosa couldn’t hold back their laughter any longer, filling the kitchen and it seemed the whole house, with the noise. Cronus snorted and returned to cooking. The rest of the afternoon slipped by, and Cronus was shooed out of the kitchen, as well as Kaliri and Duncan, by Rosa and Porrim, who’d appeared from outside. 

“Cronus, everyone else is waiting for you. Dirk and Meenah brought Cards Against Humanity. Kurly, Kanny and Meulin will be in in a few,” she said, turning to Rosa, who nodded.  
  
“Alright, off with you three! Kaliri, Duncan, go find Camilia, Amaria and Silias, I’m sure they miss you both,” Rosa had a kind of sly smile that Duncan didn’t quite trust but Kaliri wrapped an arm around his shoulders and Cronus was already heading towards the pack of his friends who were heading inside, chattering loudly about everything. Slower, behind them, Amaria, Silias, and Camilia were walking at a slower pace, Amaria talking and making Camilia laugh, though sound sharp and loose.  
  
“Pops?” Cronus paused beside him, for just a moment. He looked almost like a kid again, waiting for his permission to go join with his friends, scared and unsure of what was ahead without Duncan at his side.  
  
“Go and enjoy yourself,” Duncan said, grinning and messing up Cronus’ hair. “Dinner’ll be ready in a few hours, we’ll have the bonfire. I’m not gonna be going anywhere for a while.”

Cronus grinned and like that, he was a young twenty-something again, full of life and waiting to make mistakes, and growing even more. He watched Cronus’ eyes slide over to Kurloz, who was walking along with Kankri and Nepeta, the latter of whom was perched on his back and he didn’t seem to care, carrying her with ease. He watched the confused emotions flicker across his son’s face, in the space of a heartbeat – confusion, happiness, and maybe something like giddiness, like butterflies, before he took off at a run, catching up easily. Once he was out of earshot, he heard Kaliri say,  
  
“He’s not a kid anymore,”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Cronus, he’s not a kid anymore. It’s weird, isn’t it?”  
  
Duncan looked at his longtime friend and felt something tug at his gut. He was watching the group of kids, and they would always be kids to them, and the mid-afternoon sun hit him in a way that made him look picture-esc. His black hair had hints of red in it from the light, and his piercing red eyes were softened by his smile, laugh lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling. He was unfairly attractive. Gently, he bumped his shoulder with Kaliri’s, hands brushing, smiling a little himself.  
  
“Yeah, a bit. Seem’s like yesterday I was in the barracks with Amaria, then a blink and I’m bringin two kids into my life and now… Fuck, they’re growin up, Kali.”  
  
“I know, Dun. They’re getting old as we are,” he chuckled softly. “One day, they’ll be watching their own kids run off and do stupid shit.”  
  
Duncan smiled and rolled his eyes, bumping his shoulder once more. “You sentimental shit,” he teased, feeling himself flush slightly as Kaliri wrapped two of his fingers around his own. It felt like a fire brand, the warmth shooting up his entire arm. Kaliri shot him a look, worried, and started to open his mouth to apologize, pulling his hand away. Instead of letting him, Duncan huffed and laced their fingers together, pulling him a little to go catch up with their own friends.  
  
“Come on, goofball,” he said, fighting down a blush and grinning a little when he heard Kaliri stutter something then stop and pick up his pace to keep up with him. As they passed the pack of younger friends, he caught Karkat, Kankri, Kanaya, Rose and Dave looking at them, specifically their hands. Kankri and Karkat seemed pleased, and Rose simply raised her brow as Kanaya lifted a hand to her mouth, hiding a laugh. Dave outright grinned and nudged Karkat, who in turn smiled like he’d won the lottery. He pushed the thoughts of the kids betting on his possible love life to the back of his mind and instead felt his stomach drop a little when he caught sight of Amaria’s shit eating grin and how Silias wasn’t even trying to fight off his smile. Camilia looked confused for all of five seconds before she laughed again.  
  
“Whale, took ya long enough!”

“What-?” Duncan started, and Kaliri cut him off.  
  
“Si, Cami, can we talk alone?” he gestured to Amaria, Duncan and himself, and the pair nodded, still wearing identical shit eating grins.  
  
“Shore thing, honey,” Camilia purred, before gently punching Duncan’s shoulder and winking. “Don’t break him,” and with that, she strutted back to the house.  
  
“Have fun you three,” Silias snickered, winking at Duncan before he followed Camilia.  
  
“Come on, let’s go on a walk,” Kaliri said, still holding Duncan’s hand. Amaria grabbed his other one, effectively trapping him between the pair.  
  
They wandered down the fields, towards the bonfire that Amaria and the others had set up. There was an old ring of stones laid in the ground, and a small trench between them and the fire. Wooden buckets of mud and water had been set up by the logs that made up the benches, which rested on taller, flatter stones. The sound of the stream passing was comforting, filling the air with noise Duncan didn’t know he needed.

“You know Amaria and I are an open couple, yes?” Kaliri started without preamble and Duncan nodded slowly.  
  
“Yes. What does this have to do with me?”  
  
“Dun, you’re stupid but you’re not a fool,” Amaria said with a small smile, teasing, before she became serious. “You’ve known me for almost two decades, since we were in the Marines together. Your sons are like my own children, and given that Cronus is moirials with Kankri, I’d say we basically are joined at the hip.”  
  
Duncan gave her a blank look for a moment before he asked,  
  
“Would any relationship I have with you, or Kaliri, or both of you, hurt Kankri and Cronus in any way? I know trolls don’t follow the whole,” he made a motion with his hand, moving Amaria's with him as she refused to let go, trying to find the proper words. “Familial ties thing, and your family is a little weird by troll standards and the whole quadrant thing.”  
  
Kaliri let go of his hand, which Duncan really only had a few seconds to miss before it was on his shoulder and squeezing gently.  
  
“No, a relationship between any of us wouldn’t hurt our boys. A pale quadrant isn’t exactly romantic, though it is _quantified_ that way, it depends entirely on those in the relationship. For Cronus and Kankri, it’s about keeping each other stable, sane and healthy. They balance each other out, trust each other. They’re disgustingly pale, I could get cavities from watching them interact. But they’re good for each other.” He smiled gently, burning red eyes more intense than before. “That aside, we both care for you a great deal, but if you would rather remain our close friend, that’s fine. But, we would like you to join our matespriteship.”

Duncan’s mouth worked up and down, but no sound came out. He looked shocked, to say the least. His dark amber eyes were shining brightly, and if a person could display the classic blue screen of death, Kaliri was sure the poor man would be.  
  
“Oh dear, did we break him?” Amaria asked, looking worried as she pulled the braid he’d done earlier in the day over her shoulder and worrying at the tail.  
  
“Give him a second, I think he’s rebooting,” Kaliri said.  
  
About a minute later, Duncan was blinking and asked weakly,  
  
“Why me?”  
  
Amaria blinked at him and gently turned his face to her’s, cooler hands pressing against his jaw as her thumbs rested at his cheekbones.  
  
“You saved my life, once. You got your knee blown out because of that, and nearly had to have your entire leg replaced. You’ve got a good heart in you, for your gruff exterior, you care about your family and dear gods, you are stupidly pitiable.”  
  
“And,” Kaliri added, as Amaria let go of his face so he could turn to the other. “You've been a good friend of ours, for years. A fucking stupid amount of time, quite frankly. You’re intelligent, and kind, and funny, and dear god can you cook a good meal. You’re fucked up as we are, but you’ve gotten better. You trust us, just as we trust you.”  
  
Silence fell as Duncan absorbed what his friends had said, and he closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. He could admit, privately and maybe once or twice drunkenly to Camilia, that he’d been quite in love with Amaria, then Kaliri. His first marriage fell to pieces when his wife died barely a year into their marriage and since then, he’d been alone, romantically. He’d met Amaria when he was in the Marines, his second year, and she’d brought him out of that depressed shell, first as a friend, then as his respect and admiration grew, he’d realized he’d fallen quite head over heels for the delicate and powerful woman. Then, when he met Kaliri, he felt like his heart would stop. It was unfair how amazing they both were, how generous and strong, and just _how much_ they cared. Camilia had called him an idiot, patting his back and helping him get to bed. He could replay every conversation he’d had with Kaliri or Amaria, waking up shaking from PTSD nightmares, biting back screams and tears and calling them. He could recall every instance that they’d interacted with his sons and treated them like their own. They were amazing. _And they felt the same as he did._  

“I’ve respected and admired you both for as long as I’ve known you,” he started, startling the couple. They didn’t breathe a word. In fact, it seemed they’d stopped breathing altogether. “I’ve known you both for years. Eighteen years to be exact. And every moment, I’ve felt like I’ve never been more whole than when I’m with you and my boys, like that piece of me is just slotted right back into place. I still scream from nightmares, wake up in a cold sweat and I am not functional without at least three cups of coffee. My sons are first in my life, always have been, always will be, but,” he leaned back so he could look at them both. “If you don’t mind that, then I would very much like to be a part of your relationship.”  
  
Kaliri and Amaria looked like he’d slapped them with a fish before identical smiles erupted across their faces and they hugged him at the same time. They didn’t say anything, just hugged him tight and he chuckled, wriggling his arms free as he groused,  
  
“Okay, for fuck’s sake, let me get my arms out so I don’t lose ‘em,”  
  
“If you did, I wouldn’t mind being your arms,” Kaliri purred, making Duncan laugh.  
  
“Holy shit, your flirting skills need vwork, Kali.”  
  
“Well, least you’ll be here to teach me then, won’t you?” he wriggled his eyebrows, making Duncan laugh harder. Amaria was just purring, quite loud, in the base of her throat and chest. He closed his eyes and relaxed, comfortable between the pair. They stayed there, enjoying each other, and occasionally speaking. Sometimes, it was about what they had done recently, and a few times, Amaria told them stories about her trip to Yosemite and the wildlife she’d seen and been tempted to hunt. They watched the sun start to set, casting their shadows longer and longer until, finally, they could hear a distant yell from Karkat,  
  
“DADS!! MOM!! Get up here!! Dinner’s almost ready!”

“Did he just-?” Duncan started but Amaria was already up and brushing herself off.  
  
“I’ll light the fire, by the time we’re done with dinner it’ll be a nice blaze.”  
  
“Alright. We’ll meet you at the house then,” Kaliri pressed a quick kiss to her lips and wrapped an arm around Duncan’s shoulders, walking with him up to the house. On the back porch, they could see Dave and Kurloz. They seemed to be having a conversation, and as they passed, Duncan could hear snippets of it.  
  
“He works hard, man. Like, really hard. It’s not my place to say or anything, but Cronus has been through some fucked up shit. But,” Dave shrugged. “Everyone’s got some kind of fucked up story to tell. Cronus isn’t any different. It’s just how you deal with it.”  
  
“Hmnm. Guess that explains why he jumped.”  
  
“Yeah, sneaking up on him really isn’t a good idea, bro.” Dave shook his head. “Like, I get that you like to be a fuckin ninja and not make any noise, but Cronus can be a little sensitive to that shit. Be glad he didn’t react outside of jumping and walking away to find Meenah.”  
  
Kurloz tilted his head to the side, almost like a large, if very dangerous, puppy. “What do you mean, react, brother?”  
  
Dave winced. “Let’s just say, Cronus has a mean left hook. And a sharp fuckin elbow.”  
  
Understanding seemed to dawn on Kurloz then and he nodded. “Ah… I take it you know from experience?”  
  
Dave nodded and sighed, rubbing at his temples. “Yeah man. He apologized for three weeks afterward, too, even though he clocked my shoulder. Look, it isn’t my fucking place to say anything Cronus doesn’t want someone else to know, kay? You could just, oh I don’t know, go and fucking ask him yourself and stop being so fucking stupid. Like, seriously, it’s a little ridiculous.”  
  
Kurloz’s subject change was as subtle as a cartoon anvil falling on his head. “You spend way too much time with Karkat, Dave. You’re starting to sound like him.”  
  
Dave raised a blonde eyebrow and snorted, shaking his head. “Whatever man. Come on, let’s go and see how CAH is doing. I told Egbert I’d send him, Rox, and Jade the stupidest card combinations since I folded.”  
  
Kurloz nodded and stood, grateful for the subject change and escape from the conversation. As they headed back inside from the screen porch into the living room, where all the younger people had gathered in a loose circle, they could hear Kanaya say, 

“I’m so glad that none of us know. We’re all equal in our ignorance.”  
  
“Nope, not me. I have the power of the Internet, and holy _fuck_ do I wish I didn’t,” Karkat groaned, falling backward. “There are some things that really fucking shouldn’t see the fucking light of day. And Jegus fucking skateboarding off a cliff and landing on a cracker eating popcorn with the Devil _Christ_ does that _count.”_

“Wow, KK.” Sollux snickered. “Was it that bad-?” he snagged Karkat’s phone with ease and scrolled, muttered softly as he read the definition before he screeched. Cronus just doubled over laughing.  
  
“Y’all wanted to know!” he wheezed. “It ain’t my fault.”

“Fuck off, you puss oozing, pulsing nook fucking bulge eater!” Karkat screeched, which only made Cronus laugh harder.  
  
“What the hell?” Kurloz and Dave asked in unison. Cronus just laughed harder, barely able to breathe.  
  
“Karbro and Sollux wanted to be gettin their knowledge on bout human’s,” Gamzee drawled, though he was smirking. “Cards Against Humanity is really teachin ‘em a lot.”

“The fuck was the card?” Dave asked, raising a brow.  
  
Gamzee held it up as Cronus was on his side, shaking from laughter, tears falling down his cheeks. Rose, who seemed to be card czar that round, was smiling, amusement clear.  
  
Kurloz blinked in confusion as Dave snorted and laughed.

 _What the fuck is smegma?_ he signed and Cronus, who had been trying to calm down, erupted once more into loud laughter. Even Dirk and Kankri had cracked a smile, chuckling.  
  
“You don’t want to know.” Sollux groaned, pushing his bi-colored glasses up into his hair as he rubbed at his eyes. “Fuck, I wish I had mind bleach or thome shit. Why are humanth tho fucking _weird?!_ ”

“You looked it up, chief. It ain’t my fault,” Cronus managed to calm down and push himself up, still snickering.  
  
Meenah was snickering to herself as Feferi, Eridan, Kanaya, and Mituna looked confused as Kurloz. Porrim, Nepeta and Meulin, on the other hand, were giggling to themselves, grins wide. Kurloz made a mental note to ask Meulin or Porrim later. 

“Everyone, dinner!” Rosa called and immediately, cards were hurriedly shuffled into the box again and they rushed to get to the kitchen. The adults had already grabbed their food and were heading into the living room to grab their own seats when they ran past them.  
  
There was seasoned beef with a kind of mushroom sauce dripping off the sides and some pieces looked almost bloody while others were more cooked. The chicken smelled like spices, and had already been carved, helpfully, so no one would hack it to pieces in an attempt to get the meat off, and gumbo that smelled like crab, shrimp and something hot. There was also fresh bread, two types of salad, and potatoes. Cronus and Eridan went straight for the gumbo, Kankri, Karkat, Dave and Dirk right behind them. The line went quickly, and by the time everyone had food, there was still enough left over for a good few platefuls.  
  
Cronus sat next to Meenah, Nepeta, Kankri, Karkat and Dave on the floor, digging into his meal with gusto. Gamzee half sprawled, long legs creating an interesting obstacle course for anyone who wanted to walk by him, as he propped himself up on Karkat’s back. There was an obvious relaxed ease about the pair, even with Karkat bitched at him for a minute or two. Mituna and Sollux dropped next to Dave, dragging pillows from the couch to sit on, Rose and Kanaya grabbing a seat next to them. Kurloz sat on the couch next to Duncan and Kaliri, Amaria lounging next to Rosa and Silias as Camilia sat next to the oldest Captor. Porrim plopped down next to her sister, grinning as she dug into the meal. Kurloz was eighty percent sure her “tea” had some kind of blood in it from the fact her plate was missing any of the bloodier meat. 

The conversation soon grew to a din, filling the room and overlapping. It was impossible to hear anyone not directly next to you, which Kurloz liked. It was loud, but a comfortable noise. It crashed over him in waves, and he didn’t have to focus on any particular conversation or person. He could just enjoy the meal. However, more often than not, he found himself watching Cronus. He looked so different, surrounded by so many people. He’d seen him perform for crowds on the street, and admittedly, it did help attract business, but there was always that fake mask over his mannerisms. It made him want to yell and tear it away, reveal what was really underneath. And, as he watched him laugh and eat with, what he assumed to be, his family, his layers seemed to just fall away. There was a kind of tension that was loosening from his shoulders, and his smile was happy and unrestrained. His bad Brooklyn-New Jersey accent had dropped hours ago, and that strange vw- verbal tic disappeared with it.

“Kurloz, right?”

He turned to face a bear of a man. Duncan Ampora was boring holes into his skull, his dark amber eyes intense and bright. It was mildly intimidating and Kurloz had no questions in thinking this man could and possibly would tear him apart if he so felt like it. But, he also got the sense that he would be just as likely to sit him down and make him eat six more bowls of gumbo, which Kurloz wouldn’t lie, wasn’t something he was opposed to.  
  
“Yeah,” he nodded, swallowing his bite of bread that he’d used to soak up some of the sauce.  
  
“Duncan Ampora, Cronus’ old man.” He said with a nod, voice low and rumbling in his chest. It was warm and a little rough, but oddly comforting. The way he felt towards the human was making Kurloz’s head hurt. But, it was also mildly interesting.  
  
“Kurloz Makara, his…” he paused, not sure what to say. “Mutually assholish acquaintance.”  
  
Duncan smirked and snorted. “Acquaintance, my ass. Cronus doesn’t do that kind of thing, and from what I saw earlier, you’re not quite just friends either.”  
  
Kurloz stared at him for a minute, feeling that same odd, unknown feeling curl in his stomach at the thought of Cronus. All through the evening, he’d been near him, laughing with him, talking with him even. It felt… Weird. He couldn’t find the words for it.  
  
“I don’t know,” he said honestly, putting his spoon down.  
  
Duncan’s lips twitched in a smile and he looked at Kaliri and Amaria. “Those kinds of feelings are usually something to follow, lad. If that odd curling feeling is in your gut and you feel like you can’t define it, it’s usually a good thing.”  
  
“Why are you telling _me_ this?” Kurloz asked after a few minutes of silence between them. There was so much conversation it was hard to notice it.  
  
Duncan looked at him and raised his brow, then shook his head. “You got that lost puppy look on your face, like you don’t know what the fuck is going through your pan. This is also my son we’re talking about, and I thought it’d be good to talk to you.” He shrugged as Kurloz snorted and his lips curled upwards in a small smile.  
  
“By giving me advice in how to feel about your son?”  
  
“Would you rather I give you the usual threatening speech that if you hurt my kid, I’m a Marine Lieutenant who could find seven different ways to make you hurt with a spoon and a rubber band?” he asked blandly, raising a brow and Kurloz laughed, remembering to keep his volume down.

“I doubt I’ll need it.”

Duncan just hummed and shrugged, and they continued to eat their meal. Slowly, people began to filter out, some helping by cleaning up the kitchen and putting away leftovers. Porrim and Meulin brought out the cookies they’d made earlier and in minutes, there were only crumbs left. Everyone had a small stack of their own, munching away at the various cookies. Chocolate chip, sugar cookies with royal icing in different, looping patterns, macadamia nut cookies, double chocolate chip, oatmeal-banana vegan cookies, and specifically for Porrim, Kanaya and Rosa, a kind of blood cookie. It smelled horrible to him when he’d made them but they inhaled them like they were air. Slowly, people began to head down to the bonfire. First, Karkat, Dave, Kankri and Nepeta, then Cronus, Meenah, Eridan and Feferi. Dirk followed after he helped put away more tubbaware, Gamzee following him. Meulin, Porrim, Minuta, Sollux, Kurloz, Kanaya and Rose were the last to go down, the adults waving them down with assurances they’d be fine. 

“Hey, Loz,” Mituna bumped his shoulder, grinning ear to ear as they walked a little behind the group. “You’ve been making eyes at Ampora all night. You got an idea?”  
  
“Hmn?” he looked at his moirail and wrapped an arm around him, reveling in the warmth from the gold blood. “Nope,” he popped the P. “Not a one, my pale brother.”  
  
Mituna looked at him from under his bangs and gave that dry, snickering, “HehehhEHEhehe,” before he said, “Whatever you say, Loz. Whatever you say.”  
  
As they got close to the fire, which was giving off a fair amount of hear, they could hear Cronus singing and playing his guitar. Kurloz had to stop for a beat, watching him. He looked so different, so open. His fingers ran up and down the neck, calloused fingers finding chords with ease as he sang. His singing voice was a little hoarse, but it was _him._ It was free and happy, and the stupidest smile was spread across his face.  
  
“There you go making my heart beat again, heart beat again, heart beat again. There you go making me feel like a kid. Vwon’t you do it and do it one time, there you go pulling me right back in, right back in, right back in. And I know I’m never letting this go.”

He drowned out the rest of the song as Mituna carefully lead him to sit down, moving on autopilot. He could hear others singing with the cheesy love song, but Cronus’ eyes caught his for just a minute as he sang the reprise,  
  
“Whoa-oh, whoa-h, stuck like glue. You and me baby, stuck like glue.”

And he could swear his blood pusher near about tied itself in knots. He barely heard the conversations that were going on around them, the teasing and laughter. Someone called out another song and Cronus laughed, grinning.  
  
“A’ight, I can try. Don’t blame me though if my mauling of the song makes your ears bleed,” and he started to strum, picking out the right chords.

“I met you in the dark, you lit me up. You made me feel as though I vwas enough. We danced the night away, we drank too much. I held your hair back when you vwere throwing up. Then you smiled over your shoulder, for a minute I was stone cold sober. I pulled you closer to my chest, and you asked me to stay over. I said, I already told ya I think that you should get some rest.”  
  
At that point, Dave pulled Karkat up, sitting on the other side of the bonfire and started to gently sway him back and forth. Kurloz could see the light reflecting from his sunglasses as Karkat pushed them up to his forehead and turned him so his back was to everyone else. Sollux stood a beat later and let Feferi dance on his feet, laughing as he swung her around, like they’d known each other for years. Mituna laughed as Meenah pulled Eridan up before switching partners, and put the pair together, stealing Sollux to go sit again as Eridan and Feferi awkwardly, but still quite adorably, swayed. Rose and Kanaya joined Karkat and Dave as Meulin and Porrim started to sing along with Cronus. Cronus himself was singing like he was putting his soul on the line, and it struck Kurloz once again how _comfortable_ he looked. 

The song ended too soon, it felt like and someone suggested something from Broadway. He was fairly certain it was Karkat. And it continued. Cronus would sing whatever song they threw at him, or just strum chords together and pluck if he wanted a break from singing. At some point, Kurloz wasn’t sure when, he’d stood up and joined Cronus, sitting next to him on the log. The stars were out above them, and the sparks were popping and crackling from the bonfire. It was like something out of a movie, or a romance novel. He could feel eyes on him but when he turned to look, Gamzee was smiling as he danced with Nepeta, twirling her around. Then, a familiar song started up and Cronus hummed for a few bars before he started,  
  
“The sun is nearly gone, the lights are turning on. A silver shine that stretches to the sea. We’ve stumbled on a view that’s tailor-made for two, what a shame those two are you and me. Some other girl and guy, would love this swirling sky. But there’s only you and I and we’ve got no shot. This could never be, you’re not the type for me.”  
  
Kurloz hummed the next lines under his breath as Porrim sang back,  
  
“Really?”  
  
Cronus blinked in surprise but grinned as he sang, “And there’s not a spark in sight. What a waste of a lovely night.”  
  
Kurloz, quieter than Porrim, sang with her, “You say there’s nothing here? Well, let’s make something clear, I think I’ll be the one to make that call.”  
  
“But you’ll call?”

“And though you looked so cute, in your polyester suit,” they sang and Cronus was right on cue with,  
  
“It’s wool.”  
  
Kurloz had to fight down a smile as he sang, a little louder, still with Porrim,  
  
“You’re right, I’d never fall for you at all. And maybe this appeals, to someone not in heels. Or to any girl who feels,” Kurloz replaced “girl” with “troll,” and nearly made Cronus mess up his playing. “There’s some chance for romance. But, I’m frankly feeling nothing,”  
  
“Is that so?” Cronus looked at Kurloz sidelong. He resolutely stared at the stars, still singing softly, hoping his voice was buried under Porrim’s near angelic voice,  
  
“Or it could be less than nothing,”  
  
“Good to know. So you agree,”  
  
“That’s right,”  
  
“What a waste of a beautiful night,” they sang together. Cronus played the song for another minute or two and when he picked up the last few lines again, Kurloz was the only one singing with him. It was quiet enough that he could just barely be heard.  
  
“What a waste of a lovely night,” Kurloz near whispered, not realizing the attention on him as he soaked up the warmth of the human sitting next to him. If he moved his hand, his fingers could brush against Cronus’ leg. He refrained. Mostly.  
  
“Purrim, your voice is beautiful!” Meulin said, quickly jumping in and making the jade blood blush slightly.  
  
“I didn’t know you could sing. We’ll have to do a session sometime,” Cronus said with a grin and Porrim laughed, flipping him off as he winked.  
  
“Oh, fuck off Ampora.”

Things smoothed out and Kurloz was fairly certain that no one had heard him sing. Meenah suddenly called,  
  
“Clownfish, sing Trouble! You know the one!”  
  
Cronus snorted and grinned. “Fine, last one.” And he started up another song.  
  
One song turned into ten before Cronus finally begged for a reprieve. The fire had begun to burn lower and lower as he sang, turning from a raging inferno, no matter how controlled, to a low blaze.  
  
“We should head up,” Rose finally said as Cronus packed up his guitar. There were nods all around, as well as huge yawns from Eridan and Feferi. 

Dave knelt and let Feferi clamber up on his back, carrying her up to the house as Karkat let Eridan climb on his back, Meenah following close behind the pair. Nepeta, Dirk, Meulin, and Kankri, put out the base of the fire with the mud and the water, making it fizzle and hiss in complaint but slowly go down.  
  
“We should stay here and make sure it goes out,” Kankri said, looking at Cronus with a small frown. The human looked almost dead on his feet.  
  
“I’ll get him up to the house,” Kurloz said as Mituna and Sollux headed up after Meenah, Dave, and Karkat with Porrim, Rose and Kanaya. Gamzee stood and lazily brushed himself off.  
  
“I’ll stay here with you guys. Be gettin too dark to walk alone. You go on up, bro. Cro-bro looks dead tired.”

Kurloz frowned but Kankri gave him a look. “I’ll watch your brother if you help my moirail get up to the house,”  
  
“I’m fine, Kanny,” Cronus cut himself off with a massive yawn and nearly tripped over his own feet. Kurloz moved first, catching him and the heavy guitar case before he could face plant in the dirt.  
  
“Riiighhhhttt,” Kurloz drawled, rolling his eyes. “Brother, you are one stupid motherfucker if you think you’re in any shape to be walking by yourself. Let’s go,” he grabbed Cronus’ guitar case and started walking, slowly. Cronus yelped and jogged to catch up.  
  
“Okay asshole, your point was made. You can give me my guitar back,” he grumbled and Kurloz snorted.  
  
“It’s either I carry the guitar, or I carry you. You’ll break your face open if you try to carry it. So, which’ll it be?”  
  
Cronus stared at him, and though Kurloz knew he couldn’t see him as well as Kurloz could see him, he knew Cronus could see his smirk. He ignored the way his blood pusher flipped when Cronus sighed and bumped his arm.  
  
“Vwhatever.” He muttered, sticking reasonably close. The light from the house was enough to guide the human once they were near, but he stayed close anyways. Kurloz refused to read into the situation.  
  
Once they were inside, Duncan, Kaliri, and Silias were all talking quietly in the kitchen.

“Where’s everyone else?” Cronus slurred in a yawn.  
  
“Cami, Fef and Meenah left the minute they got up here,” Kaliri explained. “Dave and Karkat went straight to bed, and Eridan’s in the guest room. I assume asleep. Kanya and Rose left with Porrim and Rosa a minute ago. Kankri, Nepeta, Meulin, Gamzee and Dirk are still at the bonfire?”  
  
Kurloz nodded. “Making sure it goes out, Kankri said.”  
  
Kaliri smiled and nodded, satisfied. “You two can wait in the living room, we’ll be quiet. Silias was getting ready to head out with Mituna and Sollux. Are they already in the car?” he asked his moirail and Silias barely looked at his phone when it buzzed.  
  
“Yup, and asking where the hell I am. I should go. See you two later,” he hugged Kaliri and gave Duncan a side-hug and messed up his hair, making the other man flip him off. “Kinky,” he teased with a sharp smile before he left, quietly closing the door behind himself.  
  
“Oh, Cronus,” Duncan looked like he wanted to say something, but Cronus beat him to it with a sleepy but genuine smile.  
  
“If it’s about you and Kaliri and Amaria getting all together, I already figured that one out.”  
  
The two adults stared at him in shock and he chuckled. “Ya ain’t very subtle, Pops. I saw ya three cuddling and being lovey dovey. That, and Camilia told me.” He shrugged. “S’long as y’all are happy, I don’t rightly care. You’re my dad, and I’m already close to Kaliri and Amaria. Just, don’t expect me to call you Dad anytime soon,” he said to Kaliri, grinning a little.  
  
“I wasn’t going to ask you to,” the troll managed, looking stunned.  
  
Cronus giggled and hugged both men then let them go with a nod. “Imma go nap on the couch till Kanny gets up here,” to Kurloz he said, “Vwake me up when he gets here?”

Kurloz just nodded and gently steered him to the couch. It was barely ten, but then he’d been singing for a good two hours and god knew what else the whole day. Cronus looked exhausted, and so much smaller than usual. Thinner. Gently, Kurloz set his guitar down and guided Cronus to sit on the couch. He hadn’t expected the human to grab his sleeve and tug on it. He looked at him and raised his brow. Cronus just yawned and tugged on him again. He blinked and sat down. In seconds, Cronus was using him as a pillow, tucking himself into the corner of the couch and resting his head on Kurloz’s shoulder. Carefully, like he was made of spun glass, Kurloz put his arm on the back of the couch so his arm didn’t lose circulation. He didn’t want to move an inch outside of that.  
  
“Ya got a really nice voice, chief. Should sing more often,” Cronus mumbled to him, eyes closed.  
  
That almost made him startle but when he looked down at Cronus, he was dead asleep, chest rising and falling slowly. He was so small, so very vulnerable like that and it hit Kurloz somewhere deep in his blood pusher that he was seeing the other man like this. There were still so many walls left to strip away, but it felt like maybe, just maybe, he was getting closer to figuring the human out. Tentatively, he rested his fingers on Cronus’ shoulder and leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he tried to figure out just what was going on in his think pan.  
  
Later, when the others finally trudged back into the house, and Kankri had helped Cronus stumble upstairs after a quiet thanks to Kurloz, and Dirk had claimed the couch as Kaliri offered for them to spend the night, he still hadn’t figured it out. When he refused, politely, and he and Gamzee headed home, took their evening medications and said goodnight to each other, he hadn’t figured it out. And when the hours slipped by, as he stared at his ceiling, giving up on sleep, he finally shut his eyes and resolved to ignore it. It didn’t work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that Cronus sung in order, with small breaks in between some of them to rest his voice and just strum: 
> 
> Wonderwall by Oasis
> 
> Hey Jude by The Beatles
> 
> LA Devotee by Panic! At The Disco
> 
> Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland
> 
> Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur
> 
> If I Loved You from Carousel
> 
> Getting To Know You from The King and I
> 
> Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music
> 
> Hound Dog from Grease
> 
> Mooning from Grease
> 
> When The Day Met The Night by Panic! At The Disco
> 
> They Don't Know by Jason Aldean
> 
> Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
> 
> Smile by Nat King Cole
> 
> Feeling Good by Nina Simone
> 
> Good Morning Baltimore from Hairspray
> 
> Always Look On the Bright Side of Life from Monty Python's Life of Brian
> 
> Put On A Happy Face from Bye Bye Birdie
> 
> Falling In Love With Love from The Boys From Syracuse
> 
> Go Get Your Gun by The Dear Hunter
> 
> Counting Stars by OneRepublic
> 
> How Far We've Come by Matchbox Twenty
> 
> The Middle by Zedd, Grey ft. Maren Morris
> 
> Sick Of Losing Soulmates by Dodie
> 
> They Can't See by Micheal Tyler 
> 
> Paradise by Coldplay
> 
> The Scientist by Coldplay
> 
> Like Real People Do by Hozier
> 
> What A Lovely Night from La La Land
> 
> Trouble by Avicii
> 
> Saturn by Sleeping At Last
> 
> Proud by Icarus
> 
> To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra
> 
> Freeze Your Brain from Heathers
> 
> Honey I'm Good by Andy Grammer
> 
> Hey Brother by Avicii
> 
> Home by Phillip Phillips
> 
> Safe and Sound by Civil War ft. Taylor Swift
> 
> Little Bird by Ed Sheeren


	4. In Which One Idiot of a Pair Understands Something, And Two Idiots Have No Idea How to Express Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurloz gets his wish to finally strip Cronus to his core, but he wasn't entirely sure he wanted it to be this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, the amount of comments and kudos and how many of you guys have just read this mess is amazing!! I love each and every one of you, thank so so much!! I've lost track of the pages at this point, but I'm fairly certain that this chapter is shorter than the previous one, so sorry about that. Though, please heed the tags, a lot of abuse mentioned, though not graphically, yet. I also have to thank my lovely friend Sparrow for helping me by being my beta for this chapter, and possibly future chapters if they don't get tired of me bugging them. I will be adding the songs that Cronus sang a little later in the end notes, so if you want to search them up and listen to them later. As always, please leave a comment and let me know what you think, I love hearing from you guys!  
> Okay, enough from me, on with the story!  
> No, wait, I lied.  
> DISCLAIMER!! I really shouldn't have to tell you that Homestuck is the strange and wonderous brain child of Andrew Hussie but here I am.  
> Okay, now on with the story!  
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> -RR

There was a certain kind of peace to the very back stacks of the library, Rose had to admit. It was quiet, but a little eerie with how the lights only activated when you moved into the aisles, and the only students back there were few and far between. She pushed her empty book trolley the wheel squeaking every now and then as she leaned a little too much on the back. It should have been almost completely silent, were it not for the faint rustling of clothing and a faint uptick of breathing. In the silence of the stacks, it was deafening.

She looked down the aisles of books and spotted the student in question, leaning against one of the secured bookshelves, arms hanging at his side. His face was cast in shadow but Rose could hazard a guess who it was.

“Cronus?” she asked, keeping her voice soft.

He startled and looked at her, blinking rapidly as the lights in the aisle suddenly came to life, probably momentarily blinding him. She took that to her advantage and left the trolley behind, striding towards him and gently guiding him to sit on the floor, pulling out her headphones and phone from her jeans pocket.

“May I see your phone, please?”

He nodded and didn’t question her. It seemed his phone was unlocked, opened to his messenger. She didn’t look at who it was he’d been texting and instead looked for his YouTube app. Once she found it, she typed in her channel name and plugged in her headphones, then handed it back to him.

“Put them in, please.”

He did as she asked, and she noted how his hands shook slightly before she clicked play. He stiffened, then looked at her in mild confusion. She just gave him a smile and gestured to keep listening. He just closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the shelf, letting out a soft sigh. She watched him for a few minutes, counting how long he held his breath before letting it back out slowly. Eight seconds in, hold for four, seven out. Repeat. She pulled out her phone and texted Kanaya.

**Me: Hello, love. I need you to text Meenah for me, and if you could, please join me in the stacks. I am with Cronus, and I do not think I will be able to handle him on my own. He seemed quite close to a panic attack, though I managed to get him to listen to one of my codebreaking-ASMR videos from my channel. It seems to be helping him.**

**Kanaya <3: I Will Be There Shortly, Rose. Which Level Are You On And Where Abouts Are You In The Stacks? They Can Be A Little Difficult To Navigate Without A Starting Point.**

**Me: I am on the first floor of the library, and the fact that you enter on the third floor still seems like a ridiculous to me personally. We’re three aisles from the back, on the right side, away from the private study booths that some students use down here. There isn’t anyone else down here that I know of.**

**Kanaya <3: I Have Texted Meenah. She Said She Will Meet Us At Williams Building. Her Class Is Just Getting Out.**

**Me: Thank you, dear. <3**

**Kanaya <3: You Are Welcome, ** **Love** **. <3**

Rose turned back to Cronus, who seemed to be more like himself. He was smiling now and looked like he was actually relaxing.

“Didn’t take you for a youtuber,” he muttered.

“Well, it’s been a hobby,” she said with a shrug. “I learned to code break from Roxy, then found I had a talent for creating autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, videos. And then I decided to combine both at the same time and create something new. Did that help at all?”

He nodded and let out a long breath. “Yeah, thanks.”

“Come on then,” she stood gracefully and held out a hand for him to take. “Kanaya is meeting us at Williams Building. We can go to the café and get a drink. You look incredibly stressed.”

He took her hand without a second’s hesitation and let her help him get to his feet. After a moment’s thought, he took out an earbud and picked up his backpack, nodding.

“Yeah, finals are brutal this time around and I just… It’s been a bad few vweeks. Dad, Eri, Cami and Fef left for home, and I just felt vway too stressed from everythin.”

“Everything being,” Rose prompted, taking every bit of insight she could. Cronus was more open to her since Thanksgiving, which she appreciated, and she knew from Dirk and Dave that he’d been off the past two weeks.

“Kankri’s been stressed to the max, takin five courses, and we haven’t talked in length since Hell month started. And I don’t vw-want to bother him just cause I’m feeling a little bit like shit.”

“Cronus, he’s your moirail. I highly doubt he would see whatever is bothering you as stupid or trivial,” Rose pointed out calmly. “And if it’s caused you so much pain as to almost have a panic attack about it, I don’t think you should be putting it off.”

He sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. He hadn’t greased it, she noted with some surprise. Usually when she saw the man, he had the entire 1950’s greaser vibe going on. It was his shtick as much as it was his security blanket. It seemed that he was slowly taking parts of it away, though he was still covering the scars at his temple, and his bandanna was firmly in place.

“I know,” he muttered softly. “Just… Part of me doesn’t want to bug him because I feel like I could deal vwith it on my own, and the rest of me just misses him. Kaliri’s sick, he caught somethin and hasn’t been to school for the past three days. And Karkat and Dave? Like hell I’m gonna bother them, and Dirk’s been vworkin at the shop more and more, so he’s usually dead on his feet when he gets home.”

“How long has this been building?” she asked, careful about her phrasing. Just because he was talking to her didn’t mean he wouldn’t shut down if she said something wrong.

He shrugged. “Maybe a week? Week and a half?”

“So, since the start of December, then,”

He shrugged.

“When do your finals end?”

“The seventeenth, last day for finals. I have an essay exam, another lab exam, and then two multiple choice. They should be about three hours.” He shrugged. “Depends.”

“And I take it you’ve been studying since Thanksgiving ended?”

He nodded and was careful to avoid bumping into anyone as they reached the third floor. Sticking close to Rose’s side and making sure to keep anyone not her at a hands breadth at least.

“Well then I believe you’re experiencing a burn out on top of worry over Kankri and bottling your emotions up for far too long. Ah, there’s Kanaya,” she held the door open for Cronus, who gave her a nod and then gave Kanaya a wane smile.

“Hello, Cronus.”

“Thought you were meetin us at Williams,” he tilted his head to the side a little and Kanaya shook her head.

“I decided to meet you here instead. Meenah is taking a class at Williams, is she not? Or she’s sitting in on a class and starting classes in the spring.”

A small smile broke out across his face at the mention of his best friend and nodded. “Oh, so we’re meetin her there?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, I thought the surprise would be nice. Now, we should hurry before classes for the afternoon let out and we’re caught in the rush.” She shivered a little at the chill in the air and looked up. It was cloudy and grey, but not quite threatening snow yet. Kanaya noticed her shiver and took off her outer jacket, draping it around her shoulder.

“You should remember to wear thicker clothes than a worn down, open front cashmere sweater, Rose,” she chastised her lightly, and Rose gave her girlfriend-matesprit a warm, slightly cheeky smile.

“But then how would I steal your lovely jackets?” she pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, making Kanaya blush a soft jade green, smiling though flustered. “Thank you, love.”

Cronus was watching the pair of them, a small, if sad, smile twitching at his lips. “Should I leave you two to your day?” he asked, and Rose shook her head.

“You won’t get rid of me that easily, Cronus Ampora.” She said it lightly, but she could see the way he relaxed, and the smirk became softer.

‘ _He’s lonely and doesn’t know how to ask for company,_ ’ she realized. ‘ _Of course. How could I be so stupid? He’s missing his family, and his moirail is being unintentionally neglectful in his own stress. He’s wearing thin. And god knows if he’s talked to Meenah recently._ ’

“Well, come along then. We have a Peixes to pick up,” Kanaya said briskly, looping her arm with Rose, who then grabbed Cronus’ hand and the pair, and by default Cronus, set off at a brisk pace towards the science building.

It took a minute for Cronus to relax again and hold her hand, squeezing gently. Rose hid her smile by turning to Kanaya and asking how her classes had gone for the day. She could tell Cronus wasn’t up for conversation, and he was still listening to her ASMR video. But, he wasn’t letting go of her hand either, squeezing it every now and then. It was comfortable, easy. By the time they’d reached Williams, Cronus had taken out the earbud he'd put back in so only one was in and joined the conversation every now and then. He was surprisingly interested in sewing, though Kanaya was more than happy to educate him.

“So, I know there’s a way to hide a stitch when you’re making a seam, and it creates a small ream in the fabric, vwhere you pull it together,” he was saying, gesturing with his good hand.

“A hide stitch,” Kanaya said, nodding. It’s a very simple one to learn, but you can also make a mess of it if you’re not careful. Would you like me to show you?”

“Huh? Oh… Sure.”

‘ _He seems shy about that. Maybe it is because he’s admitting it out loud, in public, where anyone can hear him and call him out? Or is it because Kanaya is related to Rosa? They seem to be very close, though I’m not sure Cronus would accept a mother figure in his life, after what his actual mother did. Is it then, because Kanaya is so motherly that he’s unsure how to feel about it?_ ’

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, with a loud, exuberant,

“CLOWNFISH!!”

And an equally loud and exuberant,

“MINNOW!!”

And then Cronus was letting go of her hand and catching Meenah as she jumped into his arms, swinging her around and around in a circle, laughing into her stomach as she hugged his head and shoulders. It seemed to be a very awkward and uncomfortable position, but neither seemed to care. If anything, they seemed to take it as a challenge. Cronus only put her down after he was well and truly ready, Rose noted, and even then, he didn’t completely let go. Just hugged her tightly once more, and Meenah was more than happy to hug him back.

“Do you two often greet each other like that?” Kanaya asked, unable to keep her smile out of her voice. She was biting back her laughter, though she was also very confused. Cronus was already confusing, and Meenah they both barely knew.

Meenah nodded, cackling, turning around to face the couple. “Oh, fuck yeah we do. It’s funny as all shell, confusin’ other people cause they don’t know if we’re together or just fuckin’ around, or just fronds.”

Cronus snorted and rested his chin on top of her head, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, closing his eyes. “It’s also nice just to hug ya, Minnow.”

She snorted, but Rose could see the slight shift in her cheeks color, no matter how dark her skin was, and hid her own smile.

“Well, it’s good to have such good friends that you can relax around them,” Kanaya said, sincerely. “Now, I think Rose and Cronus are getting rather cold so shall we go and visit the café or no?”

“Café? Cro, ya better knot have been holdin out on me,” Meenah said, looking up at him, scrunching her nose as she frowned.

“The Skeleton Bakery and Café,” he told her. “I’ve talked bout it a lot, Minnow. Vwere you not payin’ attention?” he poked her temple and she batted at his hand, twisting around to face him.

“Shore I was! Now, let’s go. I’m fuckin hungry enough I could eat a shoal,”

“Err… Was that a fish pun as well?” Kanaya asked as Cronus wrapped an arm around Meenah’s shoulders and she wound her own around his waist.

“Nope,” she grinned, teeth pearly white, her canines disturbingly sharp. “I mean a whole shoal. They got food, right, Clownfish?”

“That they do, Minnow,” he was smiling now, relaxing against her as the group made their way off campus. “Did you drive here?”

“No, I walked- Course I fuckin drove!” she huffed. “My place ain’t just down the block! It’s a forty-minute walk one way.”

“We could carpool?” Kanaya suggested. “Instead of all of us driving in three separate cars, just take one and then come back here to campus? Or, we could walk since the café is only fifteen minutes away.”

“Walking seems like a good idea to me,” Rose said, and Cronus nodded in agreement.

“I rode here vwith Crovw boy and D-Stri but I told them to go on vwithout me.” He shrugged. “Called for rain later today, and I ain’t about to drive my baby in sleet. It’s gonna get cold enough for it later today, and I didn’t know how long I’d be.”

“Term paper?” Rose guessed, and he groaned.

“Yes. I’m so fucking lucky Kaliri is my faculty member. He already knows what I’m trying to prove.”

“All that on top of finals?” her eyebrow climbed, and Cronus nodded.

“Yeah.”

“No wonder you were having a burnout. How long have you been writing it?”

“Since I got back from Peru. Just been editing it and adding to it with each draft that’s revised.” He shook his head. “It’s a pain in my ass, but necessary. I’ll have to present it at the end of the year, and if they like it, maybe I’ll get published and they’ll throw money at me. I’ll be an academic stripper.”

Meenah cackled, the sound loud and loose. Rose and Kanaya couldn’t help their own laughter, though softer than Meenah’s. It seemed to be an old joke between the two of them.

“One of these days we’ll be callin ya Doctor Ampora, buoy,” she snickered, digging her fingers into his hip. He didn’t even wince, just bumped her hip with his own as they walked.

“Yeah, that’s still a couple years Minnow. I’m lucky I’ve gotten scholarships and grants so far, and once I finish my Masters, I’m gonna have to pay off my loans. _Then_ I can vworry about my PhD.”

“Aww, don’t be so down, Crofish,” Meenah said with an eye roll. “Ya know your old man can help ya pay all that off.”

“I just vwish he didn’t _have to_ ,” he sighed.

“I’ve never asked, Cronus, but what does your father do?” Kanaya asked.

“I know he was honorably discharged from the Marines, but other than that,” Rose trailed off with a slight shrug.

Cronus looked a little uncomfortable before he sighed and asked, “Ever heard of Benjamin Gale?”

“I’ve heard the name, yes. He owned a publishing company and inherited a shipping company, and had a lot of money, old, old money from a Scottish-English background, I believe. What does this have to do with your father?” Rose asked.

“…Ever heard of River Drafts?” he asked, and it was Kanaya who piped up with,

“Oh, yes! He writes historical fictions, they’re all very interesting. I normally prefer literature to be fictional, or about rainbow drinkers in some regard, but his books are fascinating! I’m reading one right now, actually,”

“My Pops is Duncan Ampora, son of Alenea Ampora and Benjamin Gale. His pen name, when he publishes, is River Drafts.”

Kanaya and Rose stopped, staring at Cronus for several beats in shock. They hadn’t been expecting that.

“Why don’t,” Rose started, then stopped, feeling a little shocked.

“Why don’t I talk about it?” he finished for her, giving her a sidelong look. “I dunno, vwhy don’t ya talk about your own family’s ridiculous amount of wealth?”

“Because I don’t like the idea of people knowing me simply because I’m wealthy,” she said, the response immediate.

Cronus nodded and sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Pops… He doesn’t like to flaunt his wealth. He vwas a writer in college, published his first book through my grandda’s publishing house, then vwent over sea’s. He didn’t tell his old man he was the one who vwrote it, only my grandmama knew. He liked it, had it published, and vwhen my Pops came back, he was a moderately successful author. He wrote vwhen he was home, or vwhen he had the time, and then vwhen he was discharged, took on writing full time. He vwas already part of a rich family, and Cami vwas his best friend since I don’t even know,”

“Aboat ten years old,” Meenah supplied, looking at her nails. “Mama’s the owner of the shippin company, Ampora-Peixes Corp. She’s also got a hold on Crocker Corp. for their stocks. She’s been running the shipping company since before I was born, since she and Duncan are business partners.”

“So then,” Kanaya started, unsure what she was trying to ask.

“We’re _rich as fuck_ ,” Meenah said emphatically. “But, it ain’t worth it to brag aboat, cause people wanna be all up in my gills like I’m gonna be their frond or some shit.” She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Shell no.”

“You know, somehow, that my Pops is rich,” Cronus added, still looking a little uncomfortable. “He self publishes his own vworks now that he owns the company and doesn’t really do book signings. But, he still gets fan mail, and answers every single one.”

“Not to mention, he helps my mama with the other company. But other than occasionally appearin, he’s known as the “reclusive owner” while my mama’s the shark owner.” Meenah grinned. “Fef’s aimin for the Olympic’s, and I’m goin for my mama’s spot as owner. It’ll be either that, or Marine Biology, what I’m studyin now” she shrugged. “Fef say’s when she’s done swimming competitively, she’ll do the whole business thing. She’s got a knack for it. Eri too. But he may stick to writin, like his Pops.”

“Wow…” Kanaya said slowly. “I was not expecting that kind of answer.”

Cronus chuckled and shrugged. “S’why I don’t usually talk about it.”

“Does Eridan write often?” Kanaya asked as Rose seemed to be running on auto-pilot, the gears spinning round and round in her head.

Cronus smiled and nodded, looking proud at the mention of his little brother, and thankful for the change of topic.

“Hell yeah, he does. It’s mostly about wizards and magic, and not all of them are good, but Pops and I love each and every one. I mean, vwe tell him when they could be improved, but I think it’s better than lyin’ to him and telling him each story is good. He comes back with something better each time. Pops said he’d have to get published on his own, but he’d help him if he really wanted to be a published author.”

“I never expected to have met one of my favorite authors,” Kanaya said, grinning wide enough to show off her fangs. “Oh, my gods, that… I don’t know what to say. Oh, I’m sorry. This must be very silly to you, or at least annoying,”

Cronus snorted and shook his head. “Honestly, it’s kinda amusing. If you come to Kaliri’s during Christmas-VWinter break, you’ll see him again. Hell, bring a book he’s written, and he’ll sign it for ya.”

Kanya went a bright jade and started asking questions about the whole publishing company. Rose tuned the conversation out, instead keeping her arm laced with Kanaya’s and trying to sort things out.

‘ _It was obvious that they had some kind of wealth. Cronus pays rent, but I know Dirk quoted him a far lower price when he first moved in with them. But, then if he knows about Cronus, he also knows he’s rich as we are, if not more so. And Duncan Ampora did not strike me as the kind of man who was eager to leave his sons hanging… Is it because Cronus must have told him he was able to afford things on his own, instead of wanting to rely on him? How much of that is an old survival mentality, of having to constantly be tough, and how much of that is_ Cronus _?_ ’ the thoughts buzzed, trying to find a clear connection.

She watched Cronus smile and indulge in Kanaya’s questions, Meenah jumping in occasionally to help answer. He seemed comfortable, leaning against her like that, their bodies pressed close enough that it should have made walking a hazard, but they moved like they were one person. To the casual observer, it would seem like they were an actual couple.

‘ _Hmn… Now, what about that relationship? Is it because he’s known Meenah so long? I know for a fact that Cronus is incredibly cagey and difficult to get to know past what he wants you to see. I doubt even Kankri knows everything about him. Could there have been a more intimate relationship at one point between them? Or was it strictly sibling-based? Oh, I seem to have wandered back to Freudian territory. I’ll have to look at that cause later._ ’

“Rose, dear, are you okay?” Kanaya asked, jolting her from her thoughts. She blinked and looked at her girlfriend-matesprit, then at Cronus and Meenah, who looked just as worried.

“You’ve been zoned out for the last five minutes, Rose. Ya sure you’re okay?” Cronus asked, raising his eyebrow and she nodded, giving them her not-smile smile.

“Perfectly fine. I was just thinking.”

“Don’t ask about what, Minnow,” Cronus said as Meenah opened her mouth. “Unless ya vwant a headache the size of Texas.”

Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head. “It isn’t important to discuss at length at any rate. Now, I believe we have some coffee to drink and pastries to eat,” and with that, she pulled open the door the Skeleton Bakery and Cafe, and led the way inside. Kanaya followed a pace behind her, and Cronus and Meenah were on her heels.  
  
“I’ll go order, you three can go get a table.” Rose said. “Kanaya, I know what you would like. Cronus, Meenah?”  
  
“Just tell them to make the regular order and I’ll pay you back,” he said, still hanging onto Meenah, who seemed more than happy to hold onto him.  
  
“Very well. Meenah?” she looked at the shorter woman, who pursed her bright fuschia painted lips and hummed.  
  
“Espresso if they have it, if knot, carppuccino. And one of those croissant lookin motherfuckers,”

Rose nodded and left them to find a table as she went to wait in line. It was warm and homey in the shop, and thankfully not too loud even with the bustle of trolls and humans that had decided to stay inside rather than take their orders to go. Kurloz was behind the register, Aranea and Porrim were working the drinks and display case, creating a streamlined, efficient machine. Kurloz would ring up their orders and one of the women would complete the order before handing it to Kurloz, who handed it to the customer. It was rather fascinating to watch, and in less than fifteen minutes, the eight person line had shortened to just three. Rose waved to Porrim, who grinned and started on her and Kanaya’s usual drinks. By the time she got up to the register, however, Kurloz was distracted. Rose followed his gaze and spotted Cronus and Meenah, their heads pressed together, looking at his phone, a headphone in each of their ears.  
  
“Kurloz?” she asked gently and he blinked, shaking his head and giving her a wane smile.  
  
“What can I do for you, wicked sister?”  
  
“My usual order for myself and Kanaya, and Cronus’ usual order. And then for Meenah, a cappuccino and a croissant, please.”

He nodded and silently rang her up.

 _Thirteen dollars, four cents._ He signed, steadily focused on a point over Rose’s head.  
  
“Thank you very much,” she said, digging out her wallet and pulling out a twenty dollar bill. He took it and gave her her change, looking a little annoyed.  
  
“Come back soon,” he muttered, not even trying to force a smile. He could feel annoyance bubbling in his chest when he heard Meenah’s cackle, suddenly stifled behind her hand. He could feel something sharp push at his stomach when he turned to see what she was laughing about and instead saw Cronus half cuddled against her, arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulling her closer. They’d seemed close when he saw them over Thanksgiving, but he’d passed it off. But then, he’d never seen Cronus act that cuddly with anyone aside from Kankri.

‘ _Why the fuck do I care?!_ ’ Kurloz thought, shaking his head and swallowing his rising annoyance, turning back to his work. ‘ _I_   _don’t. I just started to tolerate him, I’m just annoyed that she knows him better than I do._ ’ His mouth tasted like ash.

“I’m taking a break,” he growled, stalking away from the register towards the kitchen. He passed Meulin and Mr. Egbert, who gave him worried looks, but he just went out the back door and didn’t stop until he was several feet away from the door and able to lean against the wall.  
  
“What the motherfuck is wrong with me?” he muttered to the grey sky, staring up at it through his curls. “I don’t have a flush crush on him. I don’t even _like_ him like that. What the fuck?” he stared down at his chest, like it would start explaining itself.

“Kurloz!”

He looked up when he heard the door open and a confused, and slightly pissed off, Porrim, came towards him.

“What’s up, sister?” he asked, trying for nonchalant and failing horribly.

She raised a pierced brow at him and shook her head. “What the hell was that about? You don’t normally go storming off from the register like that, not even when Cronus seriously pissed you off in the beginning. Wait,” she looked him in the eyes, searching.

He tried to keep his expression blank, but when she’d mentioned Cronus’ name his mouth turned down a little in a frown and her eyes widened.  
  
“Oh my god. _You’re jealous,_ ”

“I am not jealous.” he snorted. He bit the inside of his cheek to get rid of the taste of ashes.

“Really?” Porrim asked, disbelieving, crossing her arms over her chest. “Then what was that little stunt you just pulled?”

He opened his mouth to answer then paused and closed his mouth. He didn’t have an answer.  
  
“For a guy who claims to hate bullshit, you sure do spew a lot of it,” she said with a smirk. “Just admit it, you like Cronus and you’re jealous of Meenah being so cuddly with him.”

“I-” he stopped and took a breath, then signed, _I am not jealous, Porrim. I’m not red or black for him, and I’m sure as fuck not pale._

“You know that your ear flicks a little when you’re lying, right?” she said instead and he reached up to cover his ears, feeling a faint purple blush start to burn at the tips of them. She smirked, showing off her fangs. “Honey, admit it. You’re jealous. It doesn’t matter what you say, you’re jealous.” she tempered her smirk into a curious purse of her lips as she added, tapping her arm with a finger,  
  
“Now, question is, what _do_ you feel for him?”

Kurloz paused then shrugged, shaking his head. “I don’t know.”

“I’m calling bullshit.” Porrim said, but her voice was softer, more sincere. “Kurly, you need to stop thinking about it and just talk about it. You’ve told me shit before, even though I’m not Mituna. I know how much you care for him, but just talk to me right now, okay? If nothing else, I’m your friend and I’m worried about you.”

He took a breath and fidgeted with his hands before he started, “He frustrates me to no end, but he pushes me almost like a kismesis but also not. He can be really sweet and a complete asshole, and I’m not sure which side I want more. It’s not pity, it’s more,” he made a frustrated noise and waved his hand. “Complex than that. It’s just… _fucking weird._ ”

Porrim’s expression softened to something more understanding and motherly as she nodded. “Well, I don’t know how to tell you this Kurloz, but you’re explaining the human concept of a romantic attraction.” at his blank look, she explained, “Does your blood pusher feel all knotted up? And your stomach feel twisted and sick, but you know you could run to another state if he needed you to? Annoyed and infuriated when he’s spewing bullshit because you know he’s got something more underneath?”  
  
_I don’t know about the rest of that, but I want to get at his core, yes._

“Kurloz, you’re falling in human attraction with him. Gods know how long it’s been going on, but your reaction to him, how often you push his buttons, _how often he pushes yours,_ ” she shook her head. “You need to talk to him.”

Just as Kurloz was going to retort, his phone buzzed. Porrim gave him a look and he sighed, taking it out and opening the message.  
  
**Pain in my Horns (Ampora): Hey, I saw ya leave. Ya seemed kinda pissed off. You okay?**

He stared at the screen for a moment in pure shock and Porrim snickered.  
  
“Is it Cronus?”

“Fuck off, Maryam,” he snapped but that just made her smile wider.  
  
“Answer him you idiot!”

He flipped her off, then typed,

**Me: YEAH, I’M FINE AMPORA. WHY?**

**Pain in my Horns (Ampora): Vwell, you looked pretty pissed and ya vwere lookin at me. Did I piss ya off or somethin?**

**Me: ….WHY DOES THAT MATTER?**

**Pain in my Horns (Ampora): Am I stupid in assumin vwe vwere becomin friends?**

Kurloz stared at the screen in shock. He hadn’t expected that kind of question, and it did a lot of funny things to his stomach and blood busher. He couldn’t figure out what they all were, couldn’t begin to name them and instead closed his eyes and took a breath, then slowly let it out.

**Me: I’M NOT SURE WHAT WE WERE BECOMING, IF I’M HONEST.**

**Pain in my Horns (Ampora): Vwell, I thought vwe vwere at least on friendly terms. Vwhat the fuck happened?**

**Me: NOTHING, AMPORA. WE’RE FINE. JUST DEALING WITH A LOT OF STRESS AT ONCE. IT’S NOT YOUR BUSINESS.**

Porrim smacked him for that but he didn’t pay her any mind.

**Pain in my Horns (Ampora): Vwell, you’re my friend. So fuck you, it is my business. Kankri vwould chew ya out, so I’m gonna do it in his place. Don’t tempt me, I know how to type ludicrously long messages.**

That startled a laugh out of him and he had to lean against the wall for support, smiling as he calmed down and wiped purple tears away. Porrim just looked smug, but he paid her no mind. He quickly edited Cronus’ contact name before he responded,  
  
**Me: THANKS, BROTHER, I ACTUALLY NEEDED THAT LAUGH. AND I’M FINE, NO NEED FOR LITTLE RED WORTHY ESSAY IN TEXT FORM. MIXING YOUR QUIRKS WOULD BE A PAIN IN THE ASS.**

**Singing Fish (Ampora): You’re vwelcome. And you’re not vwrong, typing vwith his quirk is pretty hard too.**

**Singing Fish (Ampora): You know it vwon’t kill ya to take breaks, right?**

**Me: SO SAYS THE HYPOCRITE. I’VE SEEN YOU WITH DEEPER BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES THAN I THOUGHT WERE POSSIBLE, BROTHER. YOU’RE GOING TO WORK YOURSELF INTO AN EARLY GRAVE.**

**Singing Fish (Ampora): Avwvwvwvw, ya do care! And gods, ya sound like Kanny. I told him, I’ll tell you. I’m fine. Just get through finals and my papers, and I’ll be fine.**

**Me: RIGHT. AND VWHEN YOUR PAN ROTS OUT OF YOUR DAMN SKULL, VWHAT THEN? YOU VWON’T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO DO BUT BE A DAMN VEGETABLE.**

It took several minutes for Cronus to respond this time, and it was only when he checked his last message that he realized he’d used the other’s typing quirk. His face flushed purple.  
  
“Holy shit, what happened?” Porrim asked, tugging his phone out of his hands to read. She let out a squeal of excitement and handed him back his phone, saying, “He’s typing!”

**Singing Fish (Ampora): Ya… Okay, I gotcha. I’ll take a break if you take a break. I’ll even come play in front of your shop again, I haven’t done that in a vwhile. I get stress relief and you get customers. Vwin Vwin. Sunday vwork?**

**Me: YEAH, SOUNDS GOOD.**

To Porrim, he said, “It’s none of your fucking business, Porrim. You’re a damn gossip hound.”  
  
She gave him a toothy smile and shrugged, but didn’t deny it. “Of course I am. But I call it less gossip and more staying in the loop. I like being on top, in every way,” she wriggled her eyebrows and Kurloz gently pushed her shoulder, but he couldn’t help the chuckle in the base of his throat.  
  
“Whatever floats your boat, Porrim. Come on, we have to go work.”

She laughed and sashayed past him to the door, though she held it open for him. Instead of closing it in his face.  
  
“Thank you, my lady,” he rumbled, trying to keep a straight face.  
  
“You’re welcome, my lord,” she said primly, keeping her voice steady. A beat later and they were both chuckling. His phone vibrated one last time.

**Singing Fish (Ampora): Heh, great. I’ll see ya Sunday then. I’M GOING TO MEET UP WITH RUFIOH AND HIS BUNCH. They said they had a surprise for me.**

**Me: Good luck, BROTHER.**

He didn’t notice Porrim quietly high fiving Mr. Egbert before she pulled out her own phone and texted the group.

**Me: Ho+ly fucking shit. Yo+u guys will no+t believe what I just saw.**

**Wizard Hacker: *gaps* spill honey!**

**Wizard Hacker: *gasp**

**Cro+w Bo+y: let me guess, its something to do with cronus?**

**Wind So+ck: ohoho man!! Come on Porrim, spill!!**

**Crabby: WHAT THE FUCK?**

**Indiana Megid+o: 0_0 000h, this is ab0ut cr0nus and kurl0z, right?**

**Bumble Bee: H3H3H3H3 I 70LD H1M 7H47 17 W45 4 7H1NG!!**

**Hive Mind: hehehhe ii knew iitt. Pay up 2ucker2**

**Wild Wo+man: awww!! :B Did they finally confess?**

**Me: Wo+w, calm do+wn for a minu+e. No+, no+thing like that, unfo+rtunately. BUT~ I did see Kurly getting jelly.**

**Licking Lawyer: H3H3H3H3 I C4N SM3LL D3L1C1OUS GOSS1P.**

**Rad Skater: come on porr1m!! you GOTTA t3ll us!!**

**Red Bull: oh wow… doll youre really go1ng all out… huh whats the news now**

**Tav: oH,,, iS IT THAT THEY’RE BEING ALL CUTE?**

**Seagull: No, if it were that, she would have told us who won the bet. I’m going to assume it’s more based on what she saw happen at work, right?**

**Me: Okay, quick questio+n befo+re I say anything mo+re. Is Cro+ dating anyo+ne?**

**Seagull: No.**

**Crabby: NO**

**Cro+w Bo+y: nope, free as a bird. no ones put a ring on him like our queen says**

**Crabby: DAVE, DON’T BRING BEYONCE INTO THIS CONVERSATION. KEEPING EVERYONE ON TOPIC IS FUCKING HARD ENOUGH! YOU GUYS ACT LIKE FUCKING CATS FROLICKING IN A FIELD OF CAT NIP!**

**Meo+wlin:** (=`ω´=) <  **I THINK IT’S PURRFECT!! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, KARKITTY?**

**Crabby: NOTHING! JUST… AUGH FUCK NEVER MIND.**

**Wind So+ck: Hahahaha!**

**Crabby: FUCK OFF EGDERP!**

**Gamz: wHoA wHaT’s ThIs aBoUt My BrO aNd CrO-bRo GeTtiN tHeIr JeLlY oN? :o)**

**Me: I was asking if Cro+ is seeing anyo+ne. So+ far, the answer is no+. Which means that Kurly’s jelly fo+r no+ reason.**

**Little Sister: What Are You Dragging Out, Porrim?**

**Sweet Sleuth: oh my goodness, what’s all this fuss?** **  
** **  
** **Unknown: what in the shell is goin on with Cro that I didn’t know aboat**

 **Hive Mind: we’re bettiing on Cronu2 and Kurloz gettiing together. care to joiin?** **  
** **  
** **Fish Puns: O)( S)(ELL YES )(ARLEY ill text ya later bb**

**Wild Wo+man: :B hehe okay!**

**Spider Bitch: w8, what’s this a8out idiot one and idiot two?**

**Bo+o+kwo+rm: Vriska, that is very rude! But yes, please continue Porrim.**

**Me: Finally. Okay, so+. Kurlo+z saw Cro+ and Meenah being all cuddly and he go+t jealo+us and sto+rmed o+ut. I fo+llo+wed him, because he can be really stupid so+metimes. We talked fo+r a while and then he finally realized that he’s feeling so+mething co+mplicated fo+r Cro+nus!!!**

**Wizard Hacker: OH MY DOG! EEEEEEE!!!!!! THAT IS AMAZEBALLS!!** **  
** **  
Wizard Hacker: *GOD!!**

**Crabby: JEGUS FINALLY!**

**Cro+w Bo+y: no way oh my god was it like pulling teeth from a bad tempered alligator?**

**Seagull: Well, that still leaves the question of what quadrant they’re in and when they’ll finally admit it to each other.**

**Ho+rrus Ho+rse: 8=D < Oh my. This is certainly a mare raising turn of events, if I say so myself. **

**Ro+se: Oh, well this adds yet another pleasant surprise to my day. I should start marking down when these happen, or else I may lose track of how many of you surprise me in any given day.  
****  
** **Bumble Bee: 0H H0LY 5H17!! 1 N3V3R 3XP3C73D L0Z 70 54Y 17 0U7 L0UD!!!!**

**Hive Mind: jegu2 fuckiing fiinally. ii thought ii’d grow old an diie before iit happened.**

**Sweaty highbl00d: D - - > This is utter f00lishness. **

**Kitten: :33 < *ac will not use rolepurrlay fur this confursation, but she is very excited!! **

**Meo+wlin:** (^•o•^) <  **AAAHAHAHHAHHHH!!!!!!!!! RFJWEHFLREHFEHFIO**

**Me: Meulin, I can hear yo+u squealing.**

**Meo+wlin:** (=`ω´=) <  **SHUSH!! OKAY, I HAVE TO GO MAKE SURE PURRLOZ DOESN’T KNOW WE KNOW!**

She could hear Meulin talking to Kurloz in the main room, then abruptly switching to signing, at least from the lack of talking. She smiled to herself and shook her head.

**Little Sister: Oh My, Well That Is Truly Exciting News. I Am Excited.**

**Fish Puns: )(A)(A)(A)(A)(A I LOVE IT**

**Wild Wo+man: OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!**

**Indiana Megido+: 0_0 YAY!!**

**Sweet Sleuth: *gasps* That’s amazing! I knew it wouldn’t take much time!**

**Kitten: :33 < OH MY GOD!!! THAT’S FUCKING PAWESOME! I have to update my shipping wall!**

**Anime Megido+: well shit, looks like those two will be fucking in no time. pay up, bitches.**

**Red Bull: doll you havent… actually won the bet yet… so dont go demanding their money just yet**

**Gamz: hOnK :o) I kNeW mY BrO wAs GeTtInG HiS fLiRt oN, hE jUsT nEeDeD tO AlL uP aNd GeT a PuSh**

**Tav: oH,,, wELL THAT’S REALLY GOOD NEWS! oH nO, cRONUS IS HERE!**

**Anime Megido+: ill deal with him. he’s here to see me. later bitches.**

**Me: Why is he go+ing to+ see Damara?**

**Red Bull: oh… She’s drawing his tattoos...**

**Rad Skater: oh y34h!! 1’m do1ng some for h1m too! 4nd l1k3 OMG!! 1 LOV3 1T!! K33p m3 upd4ted b4be! 1 GTG**

**Indiana Megido+: s0 am i. he asked a l0t 0f us t0 design a secti0n 0f his tatt00 sleeves. it’s me, damara, dave, rufi0h, gamzee and latula. I w0nder if we c0uld get him t0 ask kurl0z?**

**Licking Lawyer: OMG!!! H4H4H4H4H4! I SM3LL $$$ 1N TH3 41R!**

**Bo+o+kwo+rm: Oh, I cannot wait for this to unfold!**

**Spider Bitch: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOOMG!!!!!!!!**

**Me: That’s no+t even the best part. Kurly accidentally used Cro+’s typing quirk, and then Cro+ used his. I assume o+n purpo+se.**

Porrim had to put her phone down and get back to work because Mr. Egbert and Aranea could only do so much on their own, and Jane and Kankri were buried in their course work so they were on halved hours until their finals were done. She went back and forth between the kitchen and the bakery, helping fill in the last of the orders and restock the display case, and give Kurloz a much needed break. By the time she could look at her phone again, the group chat had exploded with messages. She scrolled through them, catching up on the stream of consciousness that was her friend group’s way of thinking. Overall, the general consensus was that Cronus was more likely to vacillate with Kurloz before they settled. Though Karkat, Aradia and surprisingly Gamzee, argued that they would fall into a more human relationship, if they even went into one at all. She just smiled quietly to herself and giggled, tucking her phone away and helped the others clean up the bakery and then waited for Kurloz at the end of the night.  
  
“Not bad for a Monday night, huh?” she asked him as she locked the door and he set the alarm, breath clouding in the air.  
  
“Hmn, not too bad.” his breath didn’t appear, which would have been disturbing if she didn’t know that his blood was cold enough it would have to be snowing in order for his breath to appear. As if to further prove that fact, while she was wrapped up in a thick peacoat and a thin sweater underneath, and a scarf, and her warmest jeans and thick socks in her boots, he wore only jeans and a purple plaid shirt underneath his favorite jacket. The same one he’d leant to Cronus. The thought made her giggle, which made him look at her, eyebrow raised.  
  
“Oh, nothing~” she purred.  
  
He snorted and rolled his eyes, tucking his hands in his pockets and started walking. Porrim kept pace easily. They lived in the same apartment building, him with Gamzee, and she lived with Kanaya and Rose. Or really, Kanaya and Rose lived with her. Not that she minded.

“So, about earlier,” she started and Kurloz grunted. She grinned and continued, “I could find out for you if he’s dating Meenah, and if he isn’t, well… I could think of a few different ways to ask him out.”

“It’s not going to happen, Porrim,” he grumbled.

“Really now?” she asked. “You said the same thing when I asked you about opening a bakery with me five years ago, and look at where we are now. Never say never, Kurly. You never know what’ll happen.”

“Right.” he scoffed, shaking his head. “He’s… A friend. More than anything. I’m comfortable with that.”

“Oh?” she kept her surprise contained to a mild shock, though internally she was yelling and jumping for joy. She was going to get as much as she could out of Kurloz and then relay it to the others as soon as she could. Gossip hound? Maybe. But, she liked to know what was happening and it was better than picking and meddling.

“Don’t Oh, me, motherfucker.” he said. “You either knew or were pushing for it. Your interrogation earlier is proof.”

“Kurloz, I was trying to keep you from exploding. And you told _me_ what _you_ feel, though you won’t listen to me about what it all means because you’re being stupidly thick headed again.”

He ignored her and they walked in silence for a while, cars and bikes zipping past them as people took advantage of the lack of traffic, and people wandered around, heading home or to bars. Porrim didn’t mind the quiet, though Kurloz seemed to be thinking.  
  
“He said he’d be by on Sunday and he’d play for a while, said it was his version of a break. He told me to take a break if he did, so it’s Sunday.”

Porrim looked at him in surprise and he couldn’t help the slight smirk.  
  
“What?” he finally looked at her and she just smiled, slowly and a little bit sly. He immediately didn’t like it.

“Nothing. Just a little surprised is all, what with you going on and on about not having any romantic feelings towards him and then looking happy about Sunday. It’s a little odd, if you ask me.”

He huffed and shook his head. “Whatever you want to believe, I don’t care, Porrim.” he picked up the pace and left Porrim to follow him or take another way back to their apartment building.

He heard her heave a sigh and then jog to catch up with him. The rest of the walk was spent in silence, though Kurloz gently bumped his elbow against her arm and she bumped her shoulder against his. He relaxed and smiled, faintly. Whatever had annoyed the pair of them, it was gone now, and they were fine. The apartment building was much like Cronus’ but from what he could remember, it wasn’t the same building. It was a darker color and had fewer windows, to start, and was mostly populated by trolls, though a few humans lived on the higher floors and where the sun was more likely to hit. Porrim stopped to chatter with the night watch troll and he went ahead to the elevator and rode it up the ninth floor, leaning against the wall and just tried to get his thoughts in order.

‘ _Ampora. He’s a dick, and he annoys me, but I also worry about him. I also used his typing quirk, and didn’t even think twice about it. What does that say about me? And what about what Porrim was saying? Human attraction? Yeah, right. I don’t know how I feel about Ampora._ ’

Faintly, in the back of his throat, he could taste ashes. ‘ _Fuck me, I’m a mess._ ’ he sighed through his nose and closed his eyes, deciding to just let it rest. He knew he wouldn’t solve it in a day, and he had to worry about making dinner. Though, it was Monday which meant Gamzee would have eaten with Karkat earlier and probably was already halfway through his project for his art class. The door dinged and he pushed all the thoughts of Cronus to the back of his pan until later. He had shit to take care of.

_-_-_-

The whole rest of the week went by in a haze. Kurloz barely kept track of the days, and it was thanks to Mituna and Gamzee that he remembered to take his medicine on time in the morning before work and in the evening before he ate. He didn’t see Cronus that whole week, but then he’d also had to cut back Kankri and Jane’s hours due to their finals schedules and he wanted to be sure that they would have the least stressful schedule times he could afford to give them. He cut back the hours of the bakery as well, just for all their sakes with the holiday orders starting to come in. Mr. Egbert made him take a day off when he stumbled in on Thursday, exhausted from having spent Wednesday awake all day and most of the night, finishing the wedding cake for the human-troll wedding. It’d been gorgeous, but a pain in his ass. Porrim, in an attempt to curb that happening again, put a limit on how many special orders they could do before the holidays started.

Sunday finally came, and Kurloz couldn’t deny that he had been looking forward to hearing Cronus sing again. As he said he would, the human came at noon, two hours after they’d opened, and set up his guitar and what looked like a small sign. Kurloz could hear him playing, the noise muffled a bit by the glass but it was a happy, upbeat song and from the way he was moving, it seemed to be from Broadway. Slowly, the hustle of the streets died and more trolls and humans stopped to listen to him, occasionally throwing tips in his case and even going inside the cafe, turning a usually slow Sunday into a hectic, but rhythmic day. Thankfully only Kankri was out for the day, as he’d worked on Thursday for almost the entire shift, even after having finished his latest final. The busy day kept Kurloz from lingering on Cronus too much, but he couldn’t deny that he was interested in hearing him. When the rush had died down a bit, he went outside with two tea’s and quietly handed one to Cronus, who gave him a grateful smile.  
  
“Thanks, chief. I thought my voice vwould give out there for a minute,” he took a slow drink of the peppermint tea and sighed, humming in appreciation.

His guitar was slung around his shoulders, and he wore his usual leather jacket and a violet bandana around his neck, and for once, his hair wasn’t greased. It was nice to see, the rich black hair curling ever so slightly around his ears and falling down past his nape. Kurloz was fairly certain he could grow it out further and it’d get thicker, and probably feel soft to run his hands through it. He quickly shut that train of thought down and simply gave Cronus a nod and settled on the low brick wall on the other side of the door so he could watch Cronus perform and not have to actually talk to him.  
  
Either Cronus picked up that he didn’t want to talk or he was content with playing his music, but he finished the tea and carefully set the mug on the ground behind his case and started to play again. He strummed for a few minutes, giving his voice a bit longer break when a middle-aged woman approached him, looking anxious. Her mousy brown hair was short, more of an afro or a perm than anything else, and Kurloz could see an elegant Asian woman just down the way, looking at the window of an antique store. He could see the small black box she held in her fist, knuckles almost white and he connected the dots quickly, hiding a small smile behind his mug.  
  
“Uhm… Hi, so… This is weird, but do you know Only Exception?” her voice was soft and high pitched, possibly from nerves.  
  
“Sure do, sweetheart,” he said with a smile. “If you vwanna request, though, only rule is you buy somethin to eat or drink from the Skeleton Cafe behind me after I play your song.”

She brightened and nodded enthusiastically. “Of course!! Oh my god, thank you so much!”

Cronus just waved her off and started strumming the song before he began,

“When I vwas younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind. He broke his own heart and I vwatched, as he tried to reassemble it. And my momma swore that she would never let herself forget. And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist, but darlin' you are, the only exception,” his voice was warm and smooth, rolling over the words easily.

Kurloz couldn’t help but look for the cracks in his walls, looking for the euphoric expression he wore when he performed, the happy smile and the way he could belt out a song. He was looking for the Cronus from two and a half weeks ago, the happy, sweet man who loved to sing. He also couldn’t help but notice the way Cronus would occasionally look at him as he sang, but he couldn’t open his mouth. He barely paid attention to the mousy haired woman leading her girlfriend over to Cronus and getting down on one knee, opening the box. The Asian woman gasped and nodded, and Cronus laughed and sang,  
  
“I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't let go of what's in front of me here. I know you’re leaving in the morning, when you wake up leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream, oh you are, the only exception. You are, the only exception,”

They kissed and a small crowd that had gathered cheered for the happy couple, who were blushing furiously and looking doped up on love. Kurloz chuckled and opened the door for them, and signed to Meulin, who looked like she was ready to explode from happiness, having watched the whole exchange through the window,  
  
_Their order is on the house._

 _Okay, Purrloz!_ She signed back, bouncing over to them and excitedly congratulating them.  
  
He spared a look at Cronus, but the human was already going off on another song and the crowd was more than happy to listen to him play. He bit his lip and sighed, but went back inside. The next two hours went by in a blur of unfamiliar faces, who were excited to have found a new place to get good food and drink, at least that’s what he understood from all the chatter. He left Porrim on the register and bounced between the kitchen and making drinks. Mr. Egbert, Jane and Aranea managed to keep up with the orders and things went along without a hitch.

Finally, around four, the cafe was almost blissfully empty. Kurloz had coming back from a break when he spotted Cronus. He was talking with Dave and Karkat, looking loose and relaxed, but keeping an eye on the guitar he’d propped up just outside the door. He wanted to go and talk to him, but he was brought back to reality when Porrim snapped her fingers to get his attention and handed him five drink orders. By the time he was done, Cronus had left the table and was helping Meulin gather up the drinks on a tray and carry them over to the table with a kismesis pair.

He was busy cleaning the counter, but he couldn’t deny he was watching Cronus help Meulin carry the order since the group that ordered it were in the middle of trying to keep the kismesis civil. She was laughing at some joke he told, he could read Cronus’ lips though not well enough to understand the joke. For some reason, the performer had become softer, more contained, instead of louder and fuller of life like he’d expected. The café wasn’t terribly full since it was later in the evening on a Sunday, Gamzee, Karkat, Terezi, Dave, Sollux and Tavros, and a group of trolls with two humans of their own the only occupants. He kept an eye on the new group as much as he could, he didn’t like the vibe off of them. It felt like the kismesissitude was going south, and they’d met in a public place to try and keep it civil. One of the humans, a red-haired man, and a female bronze blood were speaking in terse, clipped words, and the second human, another man, was trying to keep the peace with a male jade as a third troll looked between the four with a tired expression.

He looked up when the bell over the door _dinged,_ and Rose and Kanaya came in, like clockwork. He set their drinks — black coffee for Rose with two packets of sugar beside it, and a blood orange tea with honey for Kanaya — on the counter with a nod and a twitch of a smile. They smiled back and left their money as they took the drinks. It had been a hectic day, but a good day nonetheless. Familiar. Rhythmic. He looked back to Meulin and Cronus as Meulin was setting the pastry down for the kismesis group as Cronus held the drinks patiently, though they looked preciously balanced in his arms. His concentration was broken as Dirk walked in, looking exhausted, and he still had streaks of oil and grime on his arms and face, but gave Kurloz a nod and signing so he didn’t have to go straight to the register,

_Usual drink my bro, thanks._

Kurloz nodded and turned to start the large hot chocolate as Jane pulled out the chocolate chip cookie, and he could hear a chair being pulled out for Dirk to sit with his brother and his friends. Maybe he would take a break, convince Cronus to sit down with him and they could talk. He blushed a faint purple at the thought of talking with the other, and maybe figuring out what the strange feelings were in his blood pusher. He turned and caught Cronus watching him, a faint blush on his rich olive skin. He smiled a bit as he caught Cronus, who was looking flustered, the blush getting darker. As he turned back to making Dirk’s drink, just starting to pump in the syrup, there was the sound of snarling as Cronus said,

“Hey, take it outside!”

That’s when bedlam was unleashed, and several things happened at once. It seemed the kismesis pair had pushed each other enough to start standing, the bronze snarling at the human as the jade blood and the other man tried to get them to sit. There was the sound of mugs hitting the floor and breaking, spilling liquid across anyone in the nearby vicinity. Meulin was snarling even as Cronus put himself between her and the angry kismesis pair, hands raised as his shoulders shook, ready to deflect a punch from the angry human.

“Stay the fuck out of it, shit stain!” the man yelled at him, turning towards Cronus. He was yelling more profanity, mixing with the sound of more chairs moving, but he wasn’t paying attention.

Kurloz didn’t realize he’d moved, eyes glowing purple as he put himself between the yelling human — _annoying creature_ , he thought distantly. He wasn’t paying attention, more focused on keeping this human ~~_scum worthless trash bleed BLEEDBLEED_ ~~ from touching Cronus. The anger seemed to deflate out of him as he stared at Kurloz, realizing how badly he’d fucked up. That or the sight of his glowing purple eyes and the energy from the Chucklevoodoo’s rising was starting to sink into his pathetic little think pan and the fear had stolen his anger and words. The female bronze blood shrank into her seat, the fire evaporating from her eyes as she stared at Kurloz.

“I think it’s time we left,” one of the others from the table said, looking embarrassed and a little scared. It was an olive blood, he noted in the back of his mind. “I’m so, so sorry, I’ll come back and pay for the damage,”

Kurloz wasn’t paying attention, shaking in anger as Porrim escorted them out, Dirk helping by grabbing their things and herding the other trolls out with their friend. He turned to look at Cronus, who looked like he was going to be sick. He flinched the second Meulin touched him, falling to his knees and putting his hands over his head and neck, shaking badly and mumbling over and over, too low to be heard.

“What the hell is going on?” Mr. Egbert said as he and Aranea came out of the kitchen. Karkat and Dave were moving towards Cronus, who flinched when Kurloz tried.

“Cronus?” He didn’t try to touch him, but he was tempted to use his Chucklevoodoo's to delve into his mind and pull him out of this panic, like he would when he was with Gamzee or Mituna. But something held him back.

“Cronus…” Karkat’s voice was soft, softer than he’d ever heard it. He watched as the younger Vantas approached the human with his hands up, crouching and shuffling like he was a startled creature. “Sshhhshh, it’s okay… Ssshhh,” Cronus looked at him, eyes glazed over.

“Karkat?” Kurloz asked but he didn’t even look at him, merely shook his head.

“Dave,” Karkat said and he nodded, the blonde seeming to disappear he moved so fast.

Everyone fell silent as they watched Karkat slowly approach Cronus, stopping just shy of him.

“Cronus, Cronus, can you hear me?”

“…Karkat?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Can I touch you?” He shuffled closer, kneeling but giving Cronus space.

It took a minute, Kurloz kept time, but Cronus nodded, slowly, watching Karkat only, body a line of tension. Karkat moved slowly and then touched Cronus’ head then slid down to his cheek and his neck, squeezing when he reached his shoulder.

“Shoosh… It’s okay… It’s okay,” Karkat was mumbling as Cronus’ breathing slowly calmed, his body untensing achingly slowly. He was breathing more calmly now, but there were tears at the corners of his eyes, and he looked like he was trying hard not to break.

“Cronus?” Dirk’s voice seemed to break the spell and he sat beside Cronus, gently pulling him into his arms. It seemed the calmed state Karkat managed to put him in broke as the other man fell into a lump and shook like a leaf in a storm, muffled whimpers choking in his throat. He still wasn’t crying.

Everyone was watching, though thankfully the only humans there were Dave, Rose, Dirk, Mr. Egbert, and Jane. It seemed Dave, Dirk, and Karkat were the only ones who knew what was going on, but Rose had a look on her face like she understood something and Kanaya looked beyond angry. Well. So much for stable and normal.

“We need to get him home,” Karkat said and Dirk nodded. In an easy move, the older Strider had Cronus standing and leaning against him. Cronus didn’t make a sound, just looked at the door, blank faced. Dirk took his motorcycle keys out of his jacket pocket with no resistance and tossed them to Dave, who caught them as he set something down by the booth.

“You’re staying with Karkles for the time being, until I get Cronus calmed down. Overload,”

“Yeah, I gotcha bro. I called Kankri, told him to text you.”

“Be careful, okay?”

“I know, Dirk.” Dave’s voice was gentle as Karkat’s had been. “Take care of Cronus.”

“Yeah. Porrim, think you can drive us back to the apartment?”

She nodded and lead the way out of the shop to Dirk’s car. He waited until they’d left to turn to the others. Everyone looked varying degrees of angry, confused and worried, and he was sure he was no different. Dave and Karkat just looked tired. Mr. Egbert and Aranea finished making sure every last drop and shard of porcelain was cleaned up. He didn’t realize he was shaking until Gamzee, sweet Gam, touched his hand, tapping until he uncurled his fist and laced their fingers together and squeezed. He finally let out a breath.

“What the hell was that about?” he asked softly.

“I think that was a PTSD attack,” Rose said mildly, finger running idle circles on the side of her mug. Tavros worried his lip as Gamzee squeezed Kurloz’s hand once more, looking at his brother with sleepy purple eyes. Sollux stood next to Kanaya, psionics still buzzing around his horns as Terezi licked her glasses, trying to get a better sense of the situation. Kanaya looked calmer, her arms folded across her chest as she seemed to steady her breathing, though Rose was leaning against her ever so slightly. Jane wrung the towel that usually hung from her apron, looking at the door.

“Why would Cronus have a PTSD attack? Why were you shooshing him? Suddenly get a new pale crush?” Kurloz asked, almost wincing as Gamzee nearly crushed his fingers, giving him a look. Meulin pursed her lips at him and he bit his tongue, trying to curb his instinctive asshole responses.

Karkat let out a low growl and then sighed. “It isn’t my fucking place to tell you. Just… Cronus and Eridan had a hard time before Duncan adopted them. And fuck you, that was platonic. Dirk wasn’t in here, and Kankri’s at home. He knows me well enough to recognize me when he gets like that.” he growled, practically clicking in agitation as he rubbed his temples. Dave put a hand on Karkat’s shoulder, suddenly at his side once more and Karkat calmed as his matesprit rubbed gently at the base of his neck.

“I could tell you something, Grape Jelly,” Terezi piped up suddenly. Kurloz turned to her and raised his brow. She gave him a sharp smile. “I can smell your worry and curiosity; did you know that you smell like grapes and pineapples?”

“Point?” Kurloz rumbled and she cackled again.

“Cronus has PTSD, Rose was correct. I can smell it on him. Just like I can smell your worry and curiosity, and it’s thick as John’s skull. You’re a bad liar.”

“He left hith guitar,” Sollux pointed out, picking up the case.

“You should drop it off for him,” Dave said, looking at Kurloz, who blinked.

 _Why me?_ He signed, Gamzee finally letting go of his hand.

“Cause it’d make him happy and you’re worried about him, aren’t you? Rezi’s nose doesn’t lie.” Dave pointed out. Kurloz blinked and flipped him off. He really fucking hated that the Strider’s were able to be so damn deadpan yet annoyingly smug all the time. His blood pusher was just starting to beat at a more normal pace.

“I think it’d be a good idea!” Meulin said, a sly smile coming to her lips. Her voice was just a little too loud, but she lowered it as she continued. “We only have two hours until closing, and it’s a Sunday. Dave, couldn’t you text your brother to see if it’d be okay for Purrloz to bring over his guitar?”

_No, that’s not-_

He cut himself off, staring at the guitar case. Why had he moved so fast to get between him and that other human? It wasn’t because he was worried about Meulin — she could and would destroy someone in a fight if she were pushed, with little competition — but Cronus was in front of her, acting like a shield. Was it to keep violence out of his store? Was it because he saw Cronus as a friend? But, he saw Meulin as a friend and his blood was boiling, bubbling like shaken Faygo when he thought about Cronus’ shaking, his terrified expression.  

“Brother?”

“Hmn.” He grunted, looking at Gamzee and raising his brow.

“You’re lost in your head again, brother.” He looked worried… Oh. Oh shit. He thought-

“I’m fine, Gam,” he smiled and Gamzee relaxed.

“Soooo…” Dave drawled. “You want the address or not? Cause I can ask my bro and I’d probably give it to you if you asked real nice. Or he’d keep that shit locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Straight up need an underground operation to get at that gold, dig and dig till you hit pay dirt,”

“Dave, shut the fuck up,” Karkat said bluntly. “I swear to fuck, if you don’t stop, I am going to duct tape your mouth shut so you can’t keep going on like that.”

Kurloz’s lips twitched up in a smile, amused. The albino’s rambling metaphors were a miracle in and of themselves, even if he didn’t believe the pious noise any longer. It was a mother fucking adventure to listen to the other go off, never sure when he’d stop or if he would.

“It’s fine, Karkitty,” he said, grinning as the smaller troll went red at the nickname, but he didn’t start yelling, interestingly enough. “I’ll take his guitar back to him.” He ignored the looks the others gave him. “You think you can give it up to me if I promise to guard it?”

Dave smirked, amused. “I think I can liberate that secret.” He waved his phone. “Already texted my bro, said it was fine so long as you didn’t walk too fast. Give him and Kanny like… Thirty minutes to get Cronus back to himself and you’d be okay.”

He nodded, and Dave texted him the address.

“Thanks,” he said, and Dave nodded.

“Ain’t no thing,” he dodged Kanaya, Karkat and Rose’s attempts to swat him with a deft grin and a few quick steps. “Hey, don’t go dissing the vernacular!”

“Brother dearest of mine, if you ever mangle the English language like that again, I will make sure your brain is thoroughly picked apart,”

“You can’t threaten what you do on a daily basis, sister mine,” Dave started.

Kurloz tuned them out, taking the guitar case from Sollux.

“Make sure they don’t destroy the place,” he said absently, looking at his phone before he slung the strap over his shoulder, situated the heavy case on his back and then set off. As soon as he was gone, Rose and Dave stopped arguing and she grinned, pleased with herself.

“Well, I believe it’s safe to say that they will be closer to filling a flushed quadrant than we thought,”

Meulin gave a shit eating grin, giggling. “Oh, absolutely!! Purrloz is so flushed for Cronus, it’s so purrfect! They will be the cutest couple!”

Dave shook his head as Sollux, Terezi, and Gamzee laughed. Karkat just rolled his eyes.

“While it is unfortunate that this situation had to happen, I think that it will bring them closer.” Kanaya stated. “Cronus and Kurloz have been making eyes at each other, though I doubt they realize that they have a potential flush crush for each other. It’s rather adorable.”

“I uh, think you mean adorkable.” Tavros snickered and Terezi cackled.

“I think I’m going to be the winner of the bet,”

“I just hope Cronus is okay,” Karkat sighed, running his hand through his hair. He shot a quick text to Porrim, hoping she’d look at it soon.

Porrim watched Cronus as Dirk rubbed his shoulder, his arm slung over the front seat. Cronus needed to feel contained but not trapped. Sitting in the front seat helped, Dirk had said. She was beyond confused. Was this the same asshole she traded barbs with? The same guy who could be shockingly sweet when he wasn’t acting like an asshole? The same guy who’d told her that she should sing with him sometime, only two weeks ago? He looked so hollow and sad, and scared… So small.

“I texted Kanny, he should be at the apartment soon,” Dirk said softly, and Cronus nodded. He was still coherent it seemed, that was good. Her psychology degree was screaming at her to pick the tangled mess apart, and her maternal instincts were screaming to take care of him, cradle his head and make sure he got some sleep before he spiraled. She could see him starting to dissociate, his eyes were losing focus, slowly but surely.

“Hey, Cronus can you tell me what kind of music you wanna listen to?” She tried, and he blinked slowly at her, then shrugged a shoulder. Fuck. The silence from him was disturbing. Normally she couldn’t get him to shut up. He wasn’t her kismesis, he’d turned her down for some reason, but they continued to flirt. But then, maybe this was why? Was he worried that she would hurt him? Worried that she would take it too far? Get violent? She felt sick to her stomach suddenly.

“Porrim, we’re here,” Dirk said, breaking her out of her thoughts and she looked up. They were indeed at the apartment complex. It was pretty nice place, but then it was on the troll side of the city, so things were always a little better constructed, in her own opinion. She pulled up the curb and the second the door was unlocked Cronus was out and moving, head down and shoulders hunched.

“Thanks for the help, can you wait for me till Kanny gets here? I don’t want him to be alone right now.”

“Yeah. Where should I park?”

“You can take my spot in the garage. I’ll text you when Kankri gets here.”

“Okay.” She took a breath then asked, “Dirk?”

“Yeah?” He was almost out the door.

“Will he be okay?”

He was quiet for a second, a small frown pulling at his lips.

“He should be after a few days. I’ll be back,” and with that, he was out the door and catching up with Cronus astoundingly quickly. He and his brother were almost like trolls with how fast their reflexes were. With a soft sigh, she pulled away from the curb and headed to the garage.

Dirk managed to catch up with Cronus and nodded to the copper blood behind the front desk who gave a small smile and a wave before returning to her book. Cronus took the elevator, huddling into one corner of the box, arms crossed in a way that suggested he was hiding himself. Dirk kept his distance, not wanting him to feel boxed in, instead booking it up the stairs. He met Cronus just outside the elevator doors.The walk down the hall was just as quiet, but quick. Neither wanted to linger. Dirk got the door open and Cronus made it to the couch before he collapsed, curling into himself. Dirk checked his phone as he sat on the couch next to Cronus, a new message flashed on the screen.

**Kankri: I will 6e there s99n. Please keep Cr9nus awake.**

**Me: You got it.**

**Kankri: What happened?**

Dirk took a breath and explained what happened as fast as he could and then turned to Cronus, who was shaking slightly as he tried to keep himself in the present.

“Hey, bro, can I take off your converse? Pretty sure those aren’t too comfortable.” It took a few beats for Cronus to respond but then he nodded and uncurled. A few tugs from the laces and the sneakers were loose and then set on the ground, and after a moment he pulled off Cronus’ sock’s as well.

“M sorry,” Cronus mumbled into his elbows, shaking still. Dirk looked at him and made a soft noise in the back of his throat.

“Hey, no, it’s okay man. You had a bad day, it’s okay. Pretty damn sure that you’re allowed to have bad days, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah…”

“Then why are you apologizing?”

“Cause it’s stupid.”

“How is it stupid? Cronus, you have PTSD after years of abuse. You’re okay, trust me.”

“Mnhm.” He curled up more, toes flexing at the edge of the couch.

“Kankri will be here soon, you’ll be okay. Meenah’ll be here too.”

“…Ok.”

Dirk sighed and ran a hand through his hair, tugging slightly. He was terrible at this shit… He always had been. Cronus was awake, and coherent, thankfully. And not screaming. When he started to scream, it usually meant he was trapped in his mind and literally screaming himself hoarse was the only way to get him to stop. Or knocking him unconscious. It had been a very, very bad day when he figured that out.

“Cro, I’m going to get you some water, okay? I’ll be right back, I promise.”

He just nodded and curled up tighter, shaking slightly though his breathing was still even and mostly quiet. Dirk practically ran to the kitchen and fumbled with the glass for a second before he shook his head and forced himself to regain his cool, pushing his glasses to the top of of his head. Turning the faucet on and filling the glass he took a few breaths, steadying himself. He set the glass down in the sink when he felt his phone buzz and opened the message.

**Baby Bro: hey kurloz should drop cro’s guitar off, right? You left it here on purpose, im assuming**

**Me: Yes, I did. It should be alright so long as he walks slowly. Kankri will be in just a few minutes, so it’ll take maybe thirty to forty minutes to get Cronus back to himself. It doesn’t seem like a bad attack, he’s mostly here.**

**Baby Bro: ok. ill tell him the address. theyre ridiculous i swear to god. like what the fuck even is this messed up shit? can they not talk to each other?**

**Me: I remember telling you the same thing when you were trying to see if Karkat liked you or not. Now, I have to go take care of Cro.**

**Baby Bro: breathe Dirk.**

**Me:...Thanks, Dave.  
**  
He turned the sink off just before the water overflowed the edge, pouring a little out so it wouldn’t spill, and walked calmly back to Cronus, who barely acknowledged him.

“Hey, you gotta drink man.”

“Mnhm.”

Dirk stared at the side of his head, silently willing Cronus to be _himself_ , to not be so afraid, to do literally anything. He just sat there, arms wrapped around his legs as his shoulders tensed and untensed, breathing slowly, forcing himself to be calm. After a few minutes of silence, broken only by Cronus’ forced slow breaths, he finally moved. He reached out slowly and took the water, drinking it a little at a time. He looked exhausted and strung out at the same time. Thankfully, before Dirk had to think of a way to get Cronus to keep from falling asleep, Kankri opened the door.

“I’m sorry I didn’t knock, but Dirk said to come in when I came. Cronus, how are you feeling?” he kept his words to a minimum as he toed off his shoes and made his way over to the pair.

“…Okay,” he mumbled around the glass, upper lip catching on the rim for a moment.

“I’ll leave you two, call if you need me.” Dirk said, standing. Cronus hummed and Kankri nodded.

“Alright. I suspect you will be at the cafe?”

“Yeah, Dave’s still there. He and I’ll be with Karkat at your place otherwise.”

Kankri nodded and sat beside Cronus. It didn’t even take coaxing to get the Greek to fall on his side and curl up against Kankri, his face pressed into his stomach, arms wrapped tight around him as he finally started to cry. Dirk nodded to Kankri and high tailed it out of the apartment. He texted Porrim to drive back around to the front and took a few deep breaths as he jogged down the steps.

Things would hopefully be okay, and Kankri would get Cronus back to himself before Kurloz showed up. After all, he was trying to set his best bro up with Kurloz for a while. They were ridiculously head over heels for each other, it was almost sickening, like out of one of Karkat’s shitty romcoms. He sighed and quietly hoped that Kankri and Meenah would be able to calm Cronus back down before Kurloz got there. And that he’d done the right thing in agreeing to let Kurloz have their address.

Kankri sighed as he held Cronus, petting his best friend’s hair.

‘ _Meenah should be here soon, she doesn’t live very far, and likely hit the pavement before I finished texting her on my own way over, and has a spare key to the apartment so I won’t need to get up._ ’

The loud thumping up to the door was the only warning he got to cover Cronus’ ears.

“Where the fuck is he?!” She snapped, angry and worried enough to drop the fish puns.

“Shoosh!!” He hissed, glaring at her as Cronus shifted on his lap a little before settling back to sleep. “I just got him to sleep!!”

She took a breath and then slowly let it out. “Fine, but what da fuck happened? He was fin not two fuckin days ago.”

“Someone triggered him and sent him spiraling. Dirk called me, and I came running. He was worse earlier.”

“What,”

“Triggered him?” He sighed. “Someone yelled at him for telling them and their pitch partner to take their argument outside. He dropped the drinks getting in front of Meulin, fully ready to block a punch that Dirk assumed was an empty threat. Before Dirk could reach them, however, Kurloz got between them, and Meulin tried to help but Cronus was a mess. I wasn’t there, but Dirk and Karkat were, and while Meulin tried to get him to stop mumbling apologies, Dave called me and Karkat calmed him down enough to function at a bare minimum. Dirk got Cronus here with Porrim’s help, and Karkat’s with Dave and Dirk right now. Everything’s a mess. Again.”

Meenah sighed and perched herself on the other side of Kankri, pulling Cronus into her lap. “We should call the rest of the family, let them know. Did you get a hold of Kris?”

Kankri shook his head. “I was more concerned with getting him back to himself than anything. He had an appointment with her a week ago, but I’ll have him call. I’m hoping this was a one off, but he’s taking his depression medicine again, so that should keep him from spiraling like he used to after a bad attack. I feel this is also my fault, as I haven’t been talking to him nearly as much I as I should due to my own stress from my exams. I’m finished, but he still has one left, and then turning in his paper. He’s probably been stressed beyond belief, and this may have just been a tipping point.”

Meenah nodded and gently ran her fingers through his hair, sighing. “Fuck me, he was doin so good…”

“Yeah,” Kankri mumbled, staring at his moirail.

Before either could say anything more, however, Cronus stirred, stiffening before he relaxed and slowly opened his eyes, croaking,

“Minnow?”

“Yeah, it’s me Cro.” She was undeniably gentle as she handled him, carding through his hair and making sure he was centered.

“…Heh, I must look pretty pathetic if you’re lookin at me like that.” He mumbled, smirking at her faintly. It was more of a grimace and she snorted.

“Don’t tempt me to push you off my lap, Clownfish.” Her voice was still soft, and to prove her empty threat, she tightened her hold on him.

He closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing in her grip as Kankri went to make tea, letting himself relax. Meenah sighed and rubbed down his neck, tugging at the bandana he had there.

“Come on, Cro, we’ve both seen that mark. No one else is gonna come by.”

“Mhnm.” She took that as an okay and picked at the knot until it was loose and pulled it free, stuffing it in Cronus’ pocket as her fingers trailed over the old scars. It was hard to miss, two clean, white lines on his neck, ever so slightly raised. They called attention, made one wonder. His hair was ungreased today as well, and he looked… So vulnerable. So tired. She hummed softly as she carded her fingers through his hair. Her voice wasn’t the best, but it was pleasant enough to listen to. At least for him it was.

Slowly, Cronus fell into a light doze and her legs fell asleep. When she was sure he wasn’t going to wake up if she moved, she carefully deposited him on the couch and made her way to the small kitchen where Kankri was making tea, the stove turned low as possible and still boil water.

“Was wandering water was takin so long, Krabby.” She perched on the counter, legs swinging slowly as she watched Kankri.

“Hmn.”

“Water? No remarks? Reely?”

“Oh, I’m sorry Meenah. I was lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear you. Could I ask you to repeat the question?”

She almost wanted him to go off on a tangent about repeating questions being a trigger, but said, “I was wanderin what was takin you so long with the tea. You normeely don’t take that long.”

“Yes, just thinking. And I didn’t want a loud noise to startle Cronus, especially since you were singing to him and he’s had a long day. I take it you managed to get his bandana off?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded and let out a long sigh, resting against the counter, watching the kettle. Silence fell, both of them listening for when Cronus woke up. The sound of footsteps made them look at each other and knocking at the door woke Cronus up. Before Kankri or Meenah could move, he was shuffling to the door. Meenah made it halfway to the couch by the time Cronus opened the door. There stood Kurloz, fist still raised, poised to knock again, but he lowered it as he stared at Cronus.

“What’s up, chief?” He asked, voice hoarse.

“…You forgot your guitar at the cafe,” Kurloz said softly, Charlotte's case strap slung over his shoulder.

“Er…. Thanks. You coulda left it,”

Kurloz shrugged. “I wanted to. Dirk gave me directions, said it was okay. I uh… I wasn’t sure if you were okay either,” he trailed off, eyes lowering to his neck and his eyes widened fractionally. Cronus winced, and one hand came up, covering it reflexively.

“Yeah, thanks Bone Boy.” Meenah said, stepping in front of Cronus and holding out her hand for the guitar. “Cro is fine. Ya did a nice thing, congrats. Now clamscray.”

“Meenah, it’s okay,” Cronus said softly, touching her shoulder. She looked at him sharply then sighed.

“Fin. Krabby and I’ll be in the kitchen.”

He smiled at Meenah as left, and then turned to Kurloz.

“Yeah…” he pulled his bandana out of his pocket and tied it around his neck, though Kurloz was staring at his eyebrow now. Awkward silence fell.

“…Anyways, here,” he shrugged his shoulder and carefully let the acoustics case slide down his upper arm, catching it at his elbow and then picking it up with his free hand, holding it out for him.

“Thanks,” Cronus said, taking it and slinging it over his own shoulder. Then, he took it off and set it just on the inside of the door, then stepped out, closing the door behind him. Then he and Kurloz were almost face to face.

“So.”

“Mhnm.”

Cronus sighed and looked at the ground, feet shuffling slowly as he tried not to go back inside. Kurloz looked just as startled, hands twitching in a want to sign but restraining himself.

“You… Have some weird motherfuckin friends.” Kurloz said finally. “I knew Kankri was Kankri, but your girlfriend,”

“Girlfriend-Who? Meenah?!” The comical way he managed to piece together that particular train of thought was almost endearing. Kurloz couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his lips.

‘ _Holy shit, his laugh his adorable, and I was wrong about the fish girl,_ ’ His eyes widened a little more as he caught that train of thought. ‘ _Oh… Fuck.’_

Thankfully, Cronus didn’t seem to see his state of turmoil as he doubled over, laughing himself almost sick. Fuck, he was so very, very fucked. He was pretty sure he was well… He wasn’t sure. But it was more than a damn crush. Oh gods… He really hoped Porrim wasn’t right.

“Oh.. Oh my god, you don’t know how much I needed to laugh,” Cronus wheezed, his fake Brooklyn accent leaving entirely and something like Creole and the Yat accent from when he first started dropping the accent around him was there instead. It was pleasant, cute even.

‘ _I really have to stop thinking about him like that,_ ’ he thought distantly, though it was thrown out the window when he said,

“From earlier, I could tell.” He said softly, smiling a little. Cronus couldn’t help but smile back, relaxing a little. That made his blood pusher actually skip a beat and all attempts at keeping _cute_ and _Cronus_ out of context of each other short circuited once more.

“Yeah…” silence fell again, but it was less awkward. A little more comfortable.

“Uhm…” Cronus’ hand come up to his throat and rubbed, a tic that had started years ago. “I…I don’t really want to talk about,“

“I don’t want to know,” Kurloz said, cutting him off. “That’s your own motherfuckin business, brother. Not mine unless you want to make it mine.”

Cronus blinked at him and gave a tentative smile, then nodded. “…Thanks, for not prying.”

“Not a problem, brother.”

He paused and took a deep breath. “Do.. You wanna go on a walk?”

Kurloz looked at the door and then back at Cronus’ eyebrow. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

“I guess I should make some stuff your business. And.. It’d be easier.”

“Or, we could just kick those two out for an hour or two,” Kurloz suggested. Cronus blinked and smiled.

“You can certainly try,”

Kurloz grinned at him and Cronus opened the door. He stepped back, letting the troll inside and Kurloz looked at Kankri and Meenah, arms crossing.

“Get the motherfuck out. Cronus wants to talk to me and me alone.”

“Kurloz, listen to me when I say,” Kankri started, fire already starting to build in his words, before Cronus said,

“Kanny, it’s fine. Trust me.”

He stopped and looked at his moirail, then let out a long breath. “Very well. _But_ I will be back with Meenah in one hour. We will be at the coffee store across the street. And if I even _suspect_ you’ve upset him, Kurloz,” the ruby fire was back and Kurloz nodded, raising his hands as he smiled, trying to be charming and landing somewhere between relaxed and disarming.

“No worries, my brother. I have no plans.”

“Good.”

Meenah glared at Kurloz and got right in his face as she hissed, “Listen here, you motherfucker. For shore I know Cro’s an asshole. But he’s also my best motherfuckin frond. I’m the only one allowed to make him upset, you hear me? So, if I think he’s been upset, I’m gonna grab my fork and make some tasty troll soup. Capisce?”

He nodded, leaning back a little. Meenah was short, but she had a fierce look in her eyes that could rival Kankri’s, or even Kaliri’s. Despite her wanna be thug look and mannerisms, he had no doubt she would and possibly could hurt him. The smile she gave him only confirmed his suspicions. It was like looking in the face of a bull shark.

“Good. Smart motherfucker you are. Let’s go, Krabby. Clownfish, we’ll be back. Text if you need us.”

Cronus just waved after them and settled on the couch. Kurloz looked at the couch then the armchair and decided to sprawl there. It was just as comfortable as it looked. Then, he waited for Cronus to start his story. He watched the human tug at the bandana on his neck before untying it again.

“So… Imma guess you kinda started putting shit together after my freak out in the cafe?”

Kurloz just nodded.

“Heh… I guess you can figure out why, huh?”

“Post traumatic?” Kurloz guessed, keeping his voice soft, barely above a whisper.

Cronus nodded and closed his eyes. “That’s one way to put it.” He looked so much older, so much more worn down.

‘ _He looks so fragile,_ ’ Kurloz thought, and the way his blood pusher skipped and tied itself into knots made him feel a little sick. ‘ _I’m not flush,_ ’ he thought furiously, restraining himself from shaking his head. He couldn’t be. It was something more than that, more intense, like black and red at the same time, with hints of pale. It made his pan hurt to analyze it.

“Vwe-well, only place to start is at the beginning,” Cronus was saying and he focused back on him, feeling something like shock shoot down his spine. He wasn’t expecting to strip him to his core, or for Cronus to do it so willingly. He leaned forward a bit and paid attention, feeling sick at how eager he was to finally understand.

“I had a pretty shit childhood. Dad wasn’t around too much, usually at sea or at the docks, and it started out as small shit, when I was six or so. Verbal abuse, gaslighting me… I stopped seeing my friends because I believed her, though Meenah didn’t move into town until I was eight, when Eridan vwas born.” He paused, looking down. “When he vwas born, I thought it was all a fluke, I had hope… She vwas _normal_ , no drinkin, no names, no makin me feel like shit. Just, a lovin, kind mother. I thought it could even go back to normal, like when I was five. Fuck, past me was a naive little shit.” He took a breath, curling his hands into fists. Kurloz shifted and sat up, leaning forward. He gently touched Cronus’ knee to make him look and signed,

 _You don’t have to tell me._ Even after all his wondering and prying, he wasn’t sure he was ready to know everything. But his sickening curiosity wanted to know, wanted to pull out his core and hold him tight.

“No, I…I feel like I should, ya know?” Cronus covered his fingers and squeezed, holding on for what could have been a month, or maybe a year, even though Kurloz knew it was only a few moments.

Kurloz didn’t but nodded anyways and sat back, ignoring how warm his hand was, or how much colder his fingers felt as that heat left.

“It escalated from verbal to physical when Eridan was two, when our old man died out at sea, caught in a rouge storm, but I made sure she never touched him. When she drank it got vworse, for me at least. But never anywhere very visible. And since I was known to get into fights with bullies, no one really questioned it. And anyone who did, vwell… What could they do? There wasn’t any evidence.” He shrugged. “Meenah saw me through it all, but Cami, her mama, couldn’t really do shit. She took us on the vweekends though, cause that vwas vwhen-when her drinking got bad. She called the cops on her once, when she got rage drunk. They took her to the jail for the weekend, released her the next Monday. After that, we stayed at Meenah’s from Friday into Monday, it’s actually vwhere we met Pops.”

Kurloz felt himself relax just a little as Cronus smiled at the memory, probably one of the few good ones he had from his early childhood.

“Took him a bit to get me to trust him to actually help us, but it worked. He had connections, so did Cami, with powerful trolls who could have built a case. I clammed up, but Eri babbled it all to Amaria.” At Kurloz’s furrowed brow, he explained, “She used to be a child phycologist. He told her everythin, and that was enough to get a case for Terezi’s mom, Nailia, or Neophyte as you’d know her. But, we had to go back home, get our shit together. I vwanted to.” His hands shook and he brushed his fingers over the scars. “She was waitin for me, drunk as I’ve ever seen her. She was screamin, knocked me into a wall and tried to strangle me. I passed out, and vwhen I woke up, I had these. They had to perform surgery to fix my vocal chords. Eri was sobbin his cornea out, Meenah was squeezing my hand hard enough to break my bones and Pops was arguin with someone.”

He let out a long breath and shut his eyes, leaning back. “The trial was terrifying. They could prove the abuse, but they had to get more than a minimum sentence. I testified, writing on a white board since I couldn’t speak without feeling like I was gonna spit up blood. After all that, Pops was allowed to officially adopt us. Speech therapy for me, then years of therapy for both Eridan and I. Eri’s still a little fucked in the head, but he’s getting better.”

“And what about you?” Kurloz asked softly.

Cronus shrugged and tried to smirk. It looked like a grimace. “I fight with purple assholes and have PTSD flashbacks in his bakery, as well as forget my most prized possession there.”

Kurloz gave him a blank look and he sighed, closing his eyes.

“What _about_ me, chief?” he asked, keeping his head back.  
  
‘ _Everything. How’s that for a start?_ ’ he thought, a frown twisting his lips down. Instead, he said, “You look exhausted,”

“Yeah, no fuckin surprise there. I had the worst PTSD attack I can remember in the last year, not counting the time I lost a good forty minutes. _That_ was a trip, let me tell ya.” Kurloz expected him to be snippy. Instead, he sounded resigned, and maybe a little hysterical.

“I used to lose time,” he said instead of trying to be sympathetic. He knew it’d come out wrong anyways.  
  
“Really?” Cronus lifted his head and regarded him, studying him. Kurloz kept perfectly still.

“Yeah. Not really anything traumatic, but,” he tapped his throat. “I’ve had volume issues since I was a wriggler. Then, one day, I stopped remembering where’d I’d been for long periods of time, but I’d find broken glass here and there, from windows or cups, things like that. It messed with me, because well, Capricorns are bred for violence. It just doesn’t go away after a few centuries of “good breeding”, and Gamz… Gamzee had already snapped once. He almost killed a good friend of our’s and then tried to kill himself. I don’t remember it, just that I was suddenly holding him in the back of an ambulance and I could hear his thoughts.”

“...Back at the shop, your eyes,” Cronus started and Kurloz nodded.  
  
“Chucklevoodoo’s, brother. The richer purple your blood, they say, the more powerful your voodoo power. It’s like a fucked up telekinesis with mind control, in a way. I can find the things you fear most and then amplify them, or make them disappear, for a little while at least. And no, before you ask, I’d have to have focused on you in order to insight any form of attack. I don’t like to use it unless I have to, like pulling Gam or Mituna out of their heads when they spiral.”

Cronus nodded, then softly, “I wasn’t going to ask you that.”

Kurloz blinked in surprise before he asked, “What were you going to ask me, then?”  
  
“Would ya believe me if I said it vwas about Super Smash?”

“I’d think you were a liar but let you change the subject anyways,” Kurloz said truthfully, but he could see the way the tension seemed to just melt out of Cronus and the odd tension in the air finally left.  
  
“Yeah, okay. I was going to ask if it was connected to your emotions or if you could control it, because you looked like you could tear all those trolls apart without blinking or feeling any kind of remorse. I mean, I know Meulin is important to you, but she can rip shit to shreds. Amaria’s her mother,” he pointed out.

That made Kurloz pause and pick his words carefully. “My abilities are controllable, yes. But when I have extreme emotional responses to things, they tend to activate, like a survival instinct. And I could ask the same of you. Meulin is important to me, but you jumped in front of her without hesitation.”

Cronus flushed and rubbed at his neck once more. “Habit, really. I just… I don’t like violence, and I didn’t vwant anyone to get hurt.”  
  
“So, you thought putting yourself in between it all would work?” Kurloz asked, raising his brow in mild incredulity.  
  
“Like I said, it’s habit. I just told ya my fuckin life story, asshole,” now he really did snap and Kurloz raised his hands.  
  
“I’m just curious, Cronus. Didn’t mean anything by it,”

Cronus stopped scowling and just stared at him, blinking in shock before he grinned like he’d won first place in a cooking competition.  
  
“You just called me Cronus,”

“No, I didn’t,” Kurloz retorted childishly. That just made Cronus smile wider.  
  
“Yeeessss, you did,”

“Did not.”  
  
“Did,”

“Didn’t,”  
  
“Did, did, did,”

“Didn’t, didn’t, did not,” Kurloz couldn’t stop the smile that was threatening to pull at his lips and it only grew wider as Cronus started laughing,  
  
“Did, did, didn’t,”

“Didn’t, didn’t, did- Oh fuck you,” but he was laughing.  
  
Cronus looked unbearably smug about the whole thing, but he was laughing, practically wheezing as he doubled over and curled up on the couch. He could feel his smile softening as he watched the short human laugh then slowly calm down, wiping tears away from his eyes as he sat up.

“Vwant some water?” he asked when he had his breath back and Kurloz nodded.  
  
“Sure,”

“Be right back,” he said, standing and grabbing his empty glass. As he walked to the kitchen, he called, “You can sit on the couch, you know. I’m not going to bite."

Kurloz snickered and asked, “What if I ask?”

He heard Cronus choke and turned around, if only to check to be sure that he didn’t just accidentally kill Kankri’s moirail and his… whatever he and Cronus were. He was bent over the sink, hacking up water and wheezing, red all the way down his neck.  
  
“Fuck… you, Kurloz,” he managed to wheeze after a few tense seconds. “Remind me never to drink or eat around you, you’re a damn choking hazard.”  
  
“Funny, I’ve heard that one before, but in a different context.” he wriggled his eyebrows and Cronus rolled his eyes.  
  
“Hysterical. And here I thought a choking hazard was for small things,”

“You wound me,” Kurloz deadpanned, putting his hand over his blood pusher, but he couldn’t deny the way his stomach twisted in delight at the way he pushed back.

“If you’re gonna try to make dick jokes, don’t make ‘em at the guy who’s lived with not one, but two Striders, and has yet to be subjected to LaLonde’s Freudian psychoanalysis,” Cronus said, coming back over, handing him his water as he sat back down.  
  
“Thanks, for the water,” Kurloz said after he took a drink and Cronus shrugged, easy and relaxed.  
  
“No problem. You ready to believe me about Super Smash?”

“If you’re ready to get your ass handed to you, then sure.” Kurloz said with a sharp grin.

“Bitch, try me,” Cronus retorted, jumping to his feet and rushing to set up the system.

He tossed Kurloz a controller, which he caught with relative ease, and chuckled at the other’s enthusiasm. He let Cronus be the first player and settled next to him on the couch, shoulders touching and knees bumping together despite there being more than enough room for them both to sit comfortably. Cronus didn’t move away. Kurloz managed to tame his smile into something more smug as he chose Falco to Cronus’ Fox. A few clicks and they had the arena picked.  
  
“FIGHT!” came the announcer’s voice from the speakers and immediately, they went off.

Twelve rounds later, and Cronus was yawning, leaning a little more into Kurloz than he had been. He reached over and hit pause just as Fox was about to knocked off the edge, again. It’d been mostly Kurloz that’d won, but Cronus managed to get a few rounds of victory. His stupidly pleased smile and the way he actually jumped out of his seat had been worth “accidentally” missing the edge when Falco fell off as Fox went for the Final Smash and then letting Fox blast him away. They’d paused once before to reheat some leftover pizza that Dave had ordered two nights ago, polishing off the last six slices with ease. Once they’d eaten, they jumped right back to their game. Now, though, it was reaching close to the end of the hour mark when Kankri had promised to return and he himself was feeling pretty tired too. But he didn’t want to move.

“Cheater,” Cronus grumbled, glaring at the screen sleepily. “I was,” he cut himself off to yawn, “bout to vwin again,”

“Yeah, but you’re also about to fall asleep, motherfucker,” Kurloz pointed out, swallowing back his own yawn. “Never thought playing video games would be exhausting,”

“It’s been a long ass day,” Cronus mumbled. “Fuck me, I could sleep for a year.”

“Don’t remind me,” he yawned.

“Not moving,” Cronus grumbled, shifting so he was in Kurloz’s lap, legs thrown over his, and his face was burrowed in Kurloz’s neck, back supported by the arm rest and Kurloz’s arm. He yawned and closed his eyes. “Night, vwake me up vwhen Kanny’s here…” he trailed off to soft snoring before he even finished the sentence.  
  
Kurloz froze and laid his head back, staring at the ceiling and trying to stay awake, but Cronus was incredibly warm and heavy, like a giant cat. In no time, his own eyes were falling shut and he was out in under a minute.  
  
He woke up when he felt weight shifting and grunted, slowly opening an eye. Kankri was pulling Cronus off of him, like he saw the pair of them cuddled together every day. Kurloz felt his ears turn purple and opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Kankri simply smiled at him and lifted a finger to his lips. Kurloz nodded and shut his mouth, watching Kankri haul his moirail into his arms.  
  
“Dirk’s waiting to drive you back to your apartment,” he whispered. “Dave and Karkat are with Gamzee. Meenah went home shortly after we found you two on the couch.”

Kurloz winced a little and Kankri added,  
  
“Don’t worry about her, she acts tough but she’s actually sweet. In a bit of a twisted way sometimes, but sweet. She thinks you’d be good for him,”  
  
“I’m not,” he started but Kankri just nodded towards the door.  
  
“Go and get some sleep, Kurloz. You look exhausted, and I’m not implying anything more than you think. We can talk later. Have a goodnight, rest well, and thank you for helping Cronus.” he smiled at the Capricorn, who was taken aback. Kankri Vantas did not smile genuinely very often.

A moment of blank shock, he gave a nod and a smile of his own, and made his way downstairs. Dirk was waiting for him in the lobby. He waved his phone, which had a GPS app up with his address already input.  
  
“Karkat gave it to me before I left, said I may need it. Let’s get you home, dude.”  
  
Kurloz nodded and yawned, shaking his head. He was surprised he was so worn down, but it was a good tired. He was able to stay mostly awake during the care ride, and Dirk didn’t try to start a conversation, which was nice, as Kurloz wasn’t entirely sure if he could pull off anything more than monosyllabic. As it was, when they reached his apartment, Dirk walked up with him to be sure he didn’t fall asleep in the hallways. Or, at least that’s what the human had told him. He didn’t really care one way or another. The elevator ride was quiet, but comfortable, and Kurloz led the human towards his apartment when they were let off at the ninth floor. He shuffled into the main room once he got the door open and nodded, yawning, at Dave and Karkat, who were watching some movie or another. Gamzee was sketching, resting on the other side of Karkat.  
  
“You okay, bro?” Dave asked him, looking up when he walked in. “It’s barely seven, you look exhausted.”  
  
“Mnhmph. Tired, going to fuckin bed, motherfucker.” he patted each of them on the head because it made them complain, though Gamzee barely seemed to notice, sucked into his artwork, and chuckled. “Thanks for the ride, brother. Dave, you staying here?”  
  
“Maybe. I’ll take the couch if I do, or me and Karkat will get out of your hair.”

Kurloz just nodded and waved as he left for his bedroom. “Stay or leave, just don’t screw on the couch. Night y’all,”

He went through his nightly ritual, brush his teeth and wash his face, take his medicine with a tall glass of water, dress for bed, and then flopped and curled up in his nest of blankets, pillows and a mattress. He stared at the ceiling, tracing invisible patterns for several minutes. He could still feel the weight of Cronus’ body, the heat he gave off, and a part of him didn’t expect to sleep without it. But, as he listened to the low murmur of conversation from Karkat and Dave, and occasional input from Gamzee, and their movie, he unwound and fell into a deep sleep. He dreamed of slate grey eyes and happy laughter.


	5. In Which Emotional People Try To Talk and Relationships Are Strengthened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaliri and Duncan are domestic and filled with holiday cheer, and try to work out their boundaries, as well as their son's love life. More bets are placed. Eridan worries and things escalate before they're resolved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I wasn't expecting the number of people who liked, read and commented on my attempts at plot and shenanigans to grow any larger but it has. I love all of you so much, thank you so very, very much!!! All the comments, kudos and just all of you who read this make me very happy. This chapter is a little bit more into relationships, like Kaliri and Duncan's romantic relationship, and Eridan and Cronus' brotherly relationship. Amaria will be joining her dorks in the next chapter, never fear. I owe a huge thanks to my good friend Sparrow, who is my beta, and who also gave me a great little descriptor of Vriska and Damara. You'll know it when you see it. This chapter does also get into some heavy abuse mentions, so be wary of that, though read the tags and you'll know. As always, I love to hear from you guys and comments make my month, kudos make my week and knowing you guys love this mess makes me smile.  
> Alright, that's enough from me. On with the story!  
> No, wait, I lied.  
> DISCLAIMER!!  
> I can no longer help you if you don't know that Homestuck is the strange and wonderful brainchild of Andrew Hussie.  
> Now on with the story!  
> I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> -RR

The office was cozy, in a weird way. Kaliri was the head of the department for Anthropology, so his office was a little bigger, if tucked away in the strangest part of the building. There was a nice window that looked over the greener part of campus, which wasn’t that much more green, just a few more trees here and there but it was nicer than looking at another building across the street. His bookshelves were overflowing with books and papers, crammed and stuffed together in an effort to get just one more book in somewhere. Inevitably, though, they flowed around to the rest of his office, onto the floor in neat stacks, in front of his desk, on top of his filing cabinet. He had an electric tea kettle who’s home was his window sill, and a cracked, though functional, mug that had _Good Morning, I see the assassins have failed_ written on it. He loved it. His desk was only moderately more organized, and even then it was just stacks of graded papers and the daunting pile of yet to be graded exams. He taught three undergrad lectures and three graduate level classes, the latter of which were thankfully much smaller, with only fifteen students at the most. The lecture halls had almost forty students, aside from the freshman class which had upwards of seventy. He glared at the pile and sighed.

There was a muffled _thmp_ of knocking at his door and he quickly looked at the couch that sat on the other wall. It was lumpy but very comfortable, and just long enough for him to not fall off it he propped himself up on the arm and leaned against the back. Right now, though, Cronus was dead asleep on it, stretched out and tucked in with a large quilt Rosa had made for him six winter’s ago. He barely stirred, just gave a soft snort before breathing easy again. Kaliri quickly stood and picked his way to the door, prepared to help, or berate and possibly terrify, whoever was at his door.

His TA, Cori, was working in the graduate lounge, helping him grade papers, but that didn’t narrow down his list. Mentally, he ran through different students and crossed off each one he knew had left the minute his exam was finished, and the faculty that knew where his office was wouldn’t knock. He stared at the door, half hoping whoever it was would go away. Instead, a slightly louder _tndthndtndthd_ came, and Cronus grumbled something. Kaliri scowled and opened the door, stepping out, and forcing the person who knocked to take a step back, and shut it carefully behind him. 

  
“Yes?” he asked, looking at slightly wider purple eyes and let his scowl soften. “Oh, Kurloz. Hello, how are you?”

“Probably better than you are, if you’re looking like that,” Kurloz said, his soft voice laced with amusement and Kaliri couldn’t stop the chuckle that bubbled up in his throat.  
  
“Well, you’re not wrong. I have a mountain of essays and exams to get through, even with my TA’s help it is still a hefty load. How can I help you? Are you looking to take classes again? You’ve already graduated, but a Masters degree is always an option. Did you get turned around?”  
  
“Heh, a BFA is more than enough for me, the stress was enough to make me question pulling my hair out.” he chuckled, shaking his head. He stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets as he said, “I was actually looking for Cronus.”  
  
Kaliri smiled a little and leaned against his door. “Really now?” He smiled wider as the tips of Kurloz’s ears went a soft lilac.

“Yeah. Have you seen him? I know you’re his advisor or his faculty member, and you’re in a matespritship with his old man, so,” he shrugged, looking casual as though he was asking about the time. But Kaliri could see the faint line of tension in his shoulders, how straight his back was when he usually had a slight slouch, and the way he wasn’t quite looking him in the eye. It was like he was dealing with a young Kurloz all over, anxious over talking to him about taking his picture for a project. They’d come out very well, if he remembered correctly. Amaria had asked to keep one, and he was fairly certain she kept it in her office.

“Yes, I have seen him.” he said lightly. “Why do you want to see him? It’s exam season, you know,”

“Yeah, well, he’s also got a presentation to give. Little Red’s been going around the bend trying to get him to sleep and eat properly with all the stress he’s under. Thought I’d come by and make sure he’s doing alright, and drag him to get something down his chute before he passes out.”

Kaliri smiled at him and chuckled when Kurloz looked away from the soft expression. “Yes, I have seen him. He presented his paper to me and the other faculty members earlier today, then went to take his last exam. He’s been sleeping on the couch in my office for almost three hours now. I was going to wake him up in another hour or so.”

Kurloz nodded and met his eyes again, relaxing slightly and returning to his slight hunch once more. “That’s good. Motherfucker was wearing himself thin,”

He was cut off by a loud _thmp_ and a muffled groan from inside the office. Kaliri didn’t even have to look behind him to know Kurloz was there as he opened the door and went to help Cronus sit up. The man still had bags under his eyes, but he looked less dead than he had earlier that afternoon.  
  
“Sleep well?” he asked and Cronus grunted.

“Like a damn rock, da-chief.”

Kaliri could feel his ears burning at almost being called _Dad_ and smiled, helping Cronus sit on the couch.  
  
“Alright, look at me.” he gently took Cronus’ face in his hands and made him meet his eyes, then ran his fingers through his ungreased hair gently, looking for a bump of some kind. “Well, it doesn’t seem like you’ve been concussed. You should be alright.”  
  
“I fell off the couch, I doubt that’ll give me a concussion,” Cronus snorted and Kaliri rolled his eyes.  
  
“You said the same thing when you fell out of a tree,” he pointed out.  
  
“I vwas fourteen!”

“My point has been made,” Kaliri deadpanned. “You’re making my eyes roll so much I’m fairly certain they’ll fall out of my head.”

Kurloz was chuckling behind them, muffling the sound a bit, but Kaliri felt himself smile. The younger troll was telegraphing loud and clear to anyone with working eyes, and even then he was fairly certain a blind person could see how horns over heels he was Cronus. He watched Cronus grin at the sound of Kurloz’s laughter and had to fight down his yell of excitement. The way his adopted son was looking at the troll over his shoulder, the softer lines at the corners of his eyes as he smiled, the small, rarely seen outside the family, genuine smile, and how his cheeks flushed.

‘ _Dear gods, they’re both horns over heels for each other. It’s human attraction, to be sure, since Kurloz would have already been flirting if it were red, and Cronus only flirts with people he’s trying to sleep with. Oh sweet grub Jegus meeting human baby Jesus Christs, I need to tell Dun and Ami about these two._ ’

“Kurloz, do you think you can get Cronus to eat something?” Kaliri asked, helping him stand.

“For sure. It ain’t that hard, just threaten to sic his moirail on him and he’ll take care of himself.”  
  
“Really? I’ll have to remember that.”  
  
“Oh, my god,” Cronus groaned. “Dad, I’m fine. Sleep deprivation doesn’t equal suddenly dying. I’ll eat and drink something, then go home and sleep some more, how’s that?”

“Perfect,” he said, and then what Cronus said hit him and a stupid smile spread across his face.  
  
Cronus stared at him in confusion before what he said caught up and a deep blush spread across his face, down his neck and to the tips of his ears.  
  
“I-I… Oh god, I didn’t mean that you vwere my Dad, just that- Fuck, wait,”

Kaliri just hugged him tight and barely restrained a purr in the base of his chest. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m just _really really_ happy.” he nuzzled the top of Cronus head and smiled wider when he felt Cornus return the hug, just as tight. He swayed him gently side to side for a moment before, reluctantly, he pulled away.  
  
“Go and eat, get something in you that doesn’t have copious amounts of caffeine and then get at least six hours of sleep.” Kaliri told him, squeezing his shoulders and looking him in the eyes. Cronus nodded, still blushing a little and hugged him quickly once more before he pulled away, grabbed his backpack and looked at Kurloz.  
  
_My lips are sealed, motherfucker._ He signed, smirking ever so slightly.

Cronus rolled his eyes and snorted at him. “Vwhatever. Come on, I vwas promised food and something to drink, so let’s go bone boy.”

“I beg to differ. I have more muscle than you. If anyone is “bone boy”, it’s you. My affinity for skeletons notwithstanding.”

“Bitch, please.” Cronus looked him up and down. “You look like you vweigh maybe a hundred forty soaking wet. I could bench press ya.”

Kaliri had to bite back a smile and watched them leave, bickering about who was bonier and what made them heavy or not. He moved back to sit at his desk and picked up a new exam, slowly working through it.  
  
“Ahh, young love,” he sighed once their voices had disappeared. “They’re utterly ridiculous, I’m not sure that should be possible.”

“Kaliri?” he looked up and gave Jade a welcoming smile.  
  
“Doctor Harley, please come in. Tea?”

“Is this so you won’t have to grade any more exams?” she asked, green eyes sparking with amusement. She was dressed in a baby blue skirt, black boots and thick leggings, and underneath her black open front sweater was a white button up. Her hair was done up in a messy bun, a few stray pieces here and there.

“I’d still invite you even if it weren’t,” he countered, standing and turning on his kettle. “If you’re looking for Cronus, you just missed him. He left with Kurloz a few minutes ago,”

The way her eyes lit up and her smile turned manic, or near enough, made Kaliri raise his brow and ask, carefully,  
  
“Jade? Are you feeling alright?”

He jumped when she slammed her hands on his desk, almost making his precarious piles of exams and graded essays topple, and leaned in close.  
  
“Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!! Did they confess? Already?! Were they holding hands? Did they hug? Kiss? What happened, I need details!!”

Kaliri slowly leaned away from her until he was almost reclined in his chair and Jade was nearly sprawled over the desk, her grin toothy and eyes wider behind her glasses.   
  
“Okay, how about you explain to me why you want to know any of that and then I’ll tell you what you want to know,”

Jade pursed her lips and leaned away, straightening her jacket and shirt out before she nodded.   
  
“Alright! Well, it all started when Cronus took me to the cafe the first time, just before Thanksgiving, actually. And then I thought, Holy shit, these two are really head over heels! I told the rest of our friends what I thought, and they all agreed and then we started a bet as to when they’d _finally_ get together and what quadrant they’d be in, if any,” she said in a rush.  
  
It took Kaliri a minute to completely decipher what she’d said, and when he did, a sly smile crept across his face. Jade leaned back for a moment before she leaned in once more, raising her eyebrows as a smirk pulled at her own lips.

“Well, that’s a look I haven’t seen in quite a while. You look like you’re planning something.”

“Do you have a horse in this race?” he asked instead and the younger professor shook her head.  
  
“Well, I mean aside from seeing Cronus and Kurloz happy, I don’t. Do you want me to run your bet as well? Do you want to start a bet?” she asked excitedly, flexing her fingers, which had several multi-colored bands wrapped around her fingers.  
  
“Dun, Si, Ami, Cami, Kankri, Mom and I have our own wager going on, and I’m fairly certain that we’ll get Mirith in on it as well. Kurloz is his son after all,”

“Mir-GHB has an actual name?!” Jade exclaimed, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head and Kaliri nodded, chuckling even as he lifted a finger to his lips.  
  
“Yes, but don’t go spreading it around. He doesn’t like it when people know it, and I only know it because we knew each other.”  
  
Jade stared at him in silent shock for several minutes, blinking dumbly before she said, faintly, “You know the Ampora’s and the Piexes, who may as well _own_ the sea’s what with their shipping company, and Duncan is a highly successful publish author. Your matesprit is a several PhD holding psychologist who has written several books, is practically an academic superstar with her breakthroughs in the field of human and troll psychology, and is essentially an Amazonian. You know the Captors, who are renowned in the tech world for their abilities and work with technology, you know the Maryams, who are one of the oldest Jade lines known to date, who have helped design the entire egg hive system we have here on Earth. _And_ you’re apparently friend’s with _the highest ranking politician_ outside of the _fucking President of the United States_?!”

“Yes, and please keep your voice down,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I was friends with all these people, or in the case of my mother, adopted by. And the Maryam’s were _consulted_ for their opinion on the egg hives in the past several decades, my mother is not that old.” he paused, and looked at her. “The same could be said about you. The youngest known professor to be up for tenure in the history of the university? One who holds PhD’s in archeology and physics, child prodigy and academic superstar with her work in the archeological field?”

She blushed faintly and waved away his words. “That’s different, kinda.”

“I don’t see the difference, but back to the original topic. Yes, I know a lot of “famous” trolls and humans, but they’re also just that. Trolls and humans. And we currently have a wager going about the outcome of my human son’s relationship.”

Jade let out a long breath and nodded. “Right. Okay.” A beat later and her smile was back, her eyes burning bright. “I’m already keeping track of one bet, so another is fairly simple. Can you text me who said what? I’ll need my bands to keep track of the numbers, or remind me to check the document that I have that holds all this.”

“Of course,” he nodded. “If I’m honest, I’m fairly certain Kankri or Duncan will win. They know Cronus the best out of everyone who may be betting, aside from Eridan.”

“Yeah, Duncan’s his dad and Kankri _is_ his moirail- Wait, _Kankri_ is betting about his moirail?” she couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter and had to hold herself up by bracing herself on his desk. “Oh, okay, that’s actually amazing.”  
  
“I’m going to hazard a guess and say you never thought he’d do that?” Kaliri asked, raising his brow.  
  
Jade nodded. “That, and well… Everyone in the first pool I’m keeping track for is _terrified_ that he’ll find out and lecture them all until they turn to dust. Or worse,”

Kaliri chuckled. “I can’t wait to see their faces, then. Don’t tell them,”  
  
Jade winked. “Promise.” She went around his desk and poured the boiled water, grabbing a tea bag and letting it steep as she put the mug back on his desk. It was just within reach and not in danger of being knocked over.

Kaliri looked at the stack of exams and sighed. “Okay, well the break was entertaining but I need to get these done so I can put them into the system before grades are due.”

“Do you want a hand? I don’t have any classes this semester, since I was on the dig in Peru with Henry before classes started. If nothing else, I can cut your workload down.” she offered and the only word that could be used to describe Kaliri’s expression was desperation.  
  
“Jesus, _please._ Cori is going to lose feeling in her hand by the time she’s done with her batch of essays,”

Jade just laughed and took the top of a stack, sitting on the couch. “Toss me a pen, I’ll help you knock this out. You’ll owe me dinner, though.”

“Come by for our Christmas-Winter Celebration party and we’ll call it even,” he sighed.  
  
Jade giggled and nodded. “Okay, I agree to those terms. Now, let’s get this done with.”

With Jade’s help on grading his students exams, the daunting pile shrank so much faster than he’d originally thought it would. In no time, the sun was slowly going down and filling the office with a rich orange-red glow but the pile was done. He had one more exam to grade, as Cori had taken the papers and finished them off. He made a mental note to send a small gift to her for Twelve Perigree’s, or give it to her after the holidays.

“We’re done,” he said, circling the 80% on the last student’s exam. “I mean, I still have to enter these, but, we’re done,”

Jade was sprawled on the couch, groaning. “Yaaay. Fuck, I forgot how much I hate exam grading.”  
  
“Well, you saved me another entire day’s work, so thank you. I owe you, big time.”  
  
She flapped a hand in the air and slowly pushed herself upwards. “Nah, I’m fine. I’m planning on eating you out of house and home at your party though,”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less, Jade. Are you okay to get home?”  
  
“Oh yeah, I drove here and Bec’s fine at home. My cousin, Jake, is visiting me. You’d like him,” she yawned and stretched, groaning when her joints popped. “Now, I’m going to fuck off and take a very long bath and not look at another paper for at least three days.”  
  
Kaliri chuckled and waved to her as she left, then gathered his own things and locked his office door. He headed down the halls to the stairs, nodding to the custodial staff and wishing them a good night before he finally reached the front doors. By the curb, he could see a pair of very familiar faces and he pushed open the doors, running towards them and hugging them both tightly.

“I was going to try and be cool, ask if you were goin my way, but you ruined it,” Duncan said, trying to be disappointed and stern and failing horribly.  
  
“I saw you this morning, my love,” Amaria laughed.

They both hugged him back, pressing a kiss to either cheek and then helping him put his things in the back seat.

“Jesus,” Duncan grunted, hefting his backpack as Amaria took his briefcase. “What did you put in here, rocks?”  
  
“My computer and then all the papers on my desk. So, part of a tree I guess?” he said, a little sheepish.  
  
Duncan just shook his head. “My god, you’re ridiculous. Just get in.”

Kaliri gave him a smile, and Duncan rolled his eyes once more before leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he pulled away and said,  
  
“Get in, goof ball,” and climbed into the passenger seat as Amaria took the driver’s seat, leaving the back open for him to sprawl. Which he did, soon as he was buckled in, stretching out his long legs and sighing. His lips were tingling, and he had to resist the urge to press his fingers against them like it was some tween romance novel. He could see the very faint blush staining Duncan’s neck and bit back his laughter, instead striking up conversation so to distract himself, as well as Amaria, from Duncan’s flustered blush.

The conversation was easy, flowing from where Eridan was -- “With Cami, Meenah and Feferi for the night, he wanted to spend the night with her one more time before it got too hectic,” -- to what they’d eat for dinner. As they drove, Kaliri found himself falling in and out of sleep, only to wake up when they reached home. Duncan helped Amaria carry his bags inside and dumped them in his office as Amaria steered him to eat the Chinese take out they’d ordered and left to reheat. They practically inhaled the food and then Duncan all but ordered him to go shower. Kaliri gave him a sarcastic salute, but went anyways. When he came out, almost thirty minutes later, Duncan and Amaria were curled up in their large, warm bed, dressed for bed.  
  
“Come here,” Duncan yawned, lifting the cover. “S’cold without ya,” his accent became thicker, almost drawling when he was tired and Kaliri had to just stop and stare, questioning if it was real.

Duncan Ampora, his best friend of eighteen years, curled up in his bed with a baggy shirt that hung off one shoulder, being cuddled by his matesprit. And his matesprit, Amaria Lejion, dressed in her underwear and one of his t-shirts, curled around Duncan partially, eyes half open and purring. As he crawled into bed, almost regretting his pajama choice of flannel pants over boxers, though he preferred no shirt since he ran so hot, Duncan and Amaria cuddled up to him.

‘ _This is so very, very real,_ ’ he thought with a small smile, letting a hand rest on Duncan’s side as the other stretched up and over, fingers interlacing with Amaria’s. Duncan was asleep in minutes, eyes shut and breathing slow and steady. Amaria hummed softly, practically purring at some points in her wordless song, and it wasn’t long before Kaliri was following Duncan, thinking,

‘ _Could my life be any better?_ ’

The answer to that question came two days later, shortly after Eridan had retreated to the guest room and Amaria went out to a movie with Nepeta and Meulin. He’d finished grading an hour after dinner, though he would have finished sooner if Duncan hadn’t physically dragged him to sit down and eat. Amaria contributed by waving her fork threateningly at him, glaring. He then got side tracked, talking to them both about how their day had been while he had been grading. He was thankful that, while he had to take the papers and exams home to shred them, he had written down in his journal the names of each student, then their grade on their paper and their exam. It made the process much quicker, ticking off names as he put in their grades, with each class having their own marked off section in his “grading grid” as Duncan called it.

At the present moment, however, he was curled up with Duncan on the couch, his best friend’s head tucked against his neck, legs curled up and covered with a blanket to ward off the chill. The fire was crackling merrily, Christmas tree set up in the corner, decorated with cats, crabs, and glowing lights, and a patently terrible Hallmark movie was on the TV as soft background noise. They were drinking mulled wine, though Duncan had shot down his suggestion of a drinking game as they’d likely get drunk within the first thirty minutes of the movie. It was disgustingly domestic, and Kaliri loved every second.  
  
“Will you pinch me?” he asked Duncan as a commercial came on.  
  
“Why?” he felt Duncan shift, pulling away so his head was resting on his shoulder, rolling a little so he could look him in the eyes.  
  
“Cause,” he looked down at him, wrapping an arm tight around his shoulders, as he pointed the remote at the TV to mute it. “I really think that this is a dream, because my life could not be this perfect. You could be literally anywhere, but you’re right here with me. I’m astonished and eternally grateful.”

Duncan pulled away entirely, though he didn’t have much time to lament that fact as he suddenly had a lapful of tone, cut human, which was much more interesting for completely different reasons. Duncan stared at him, forearms resting on his shoulders, hands dangling over the back of the couch, and he couldn’t look away. The dramatic, though old and just faintly white, scar that stretched from his left temple to his lower right jaw, just barely missing his eyes, was jarring. Almost as much as his bright amber eyes, laugh lines around the corners like crows feet, and faint bags dragging at the skin underneath, marks of a restless night’s sleep. His neck was littered with faint scars from the blast that sent him flying, and a good two days of dark stubble hinted at a full beard. Kaliri let his hands rest on Duncan’s hips, circling the defined point gently, and even through sweatpants he could feel the difference in skin, the slightly raised part of skin that hadn’t healed quite right. He knew trailing down would reveal more scars, some reopened to take out pins and needles when his bone had to be replaced with metal. And on the other leg, the still pink scar from his new knee from getting T-boned so hard his leg had been stuck under the dashboard and his knee shattered.

“Kal, do me a favor and shut up for a minute,” Duncan said, voice low with a bit of a growl. He closed his mouth and nodded, unable to look away from his eyes. The other man stared at him silence for almost a minute, then said, “I am right here because I want to be. I’m here with _you_ because I want to be. You’re lookin at me like I’m about to get up and walk out the door, or like I’m going to disappear.”

“You did before,” he said softly, thumbs rubbing absent circles on his hips, hands splayed on his thighs, squeezing gently. “You disappeared for almost a month three years ago. We were all worried sick about you, and all you could say was that you had some business to attend to.”  
  
Duncan tensed slightly underneath his hands, eyes hardening as the walls started to come back up and Kaliri wanted to kick himself. Duncan didn’t work like most people, or like most trolls. You couldn’t just wheedle an answer out of him, or get context for what he wasn’t saying. He kept everything locked up tight and when it was something personal, he refused to let anyone in, especially when it came to his family. The only way to get him to talk was to either hold him and down sit on him, which was Amaria’s preferred method, or to wait.  
  
“Sorry,” he mumbled, resting his forehead against the human’s shoulder, moving his hands up and down slowly on his legs. “Personal shit, don’t pry at it.”

“No,” Duncan sighed, nudging his shoulder until Kaliri looked at him. “I...I just…” he made a soft, frustrated noise. “Nailia knows, and so does Mirith. But, I just… I want to keep as many people out of this as I can.”

“Duncan,” Kaliri couldn’t help the edge that crept into his voice, worry and anger fighting for a place. “What the fuck happened? Are you in trouble? Is Cronus? Is Eridan?”  
  
“No, nothing like that.” he promised, the walls crumbling as his shoulders unwound and his intense amber eyes softened, sincere and warm. “Nothing like that. I’m fine, I promise. Cronus and Eridan are also fine, you know that. It’s just personal shit that will hopefully resolve itself before anything happens.”

Kaliri gave him a deadpan stare and stated blandly, “Yes, Mr. Ampora, please continue to reassure me with your vague and cryptic descriptions.”

Duncan looked uncomfortable, like he was debating with himself when Kaliri sighed and lifted one of his hands and gently cupped his face, thumb pressing at his high cheekbone gently.  
  
“Listen to me, Dun. I know you don’t like to have personal things spilled across the fucking floor like marbles that anyone could trip over, but I also know that you are holding something important in, and that’s just as dangerous, for yourself and for those you care about. You know you can trust me, and you know I’ll wait however long I must for you to spit out what’s bothering you. Just, talk to me, okay? I want to help you. I really care about you, Amaria does too.” he kept his voice gentle, little more than a rumble in his chest. He could swear he felt Duncan shiver but filed that thought away for later.  
  
“It was a custody thing,” he said softly. “Over Eridan. I didn’t want to drag the boys into that, and I know they wouldn’t want anything to do with their old family. So, I took care of it before it became an issue. Eridan was with Cami for the month anyways, and Cro was at college. I didn’t want to make them experience anything from that life again, not when I knew that nothing good would come of it. Cro was just getting better, and like fuck I was gonna let anything get in the way of that.”

His voice was harsh and biting, like he was trying not to yell. Kaliri could feel the faint tremors that ran through his body, the way his muscles tensed and relaxed, like he was getting ready to jump off of him and go after whatever had threatened his sons. Acting before thinking had never really been something Kaliri did, if only because he knew that could lead to very dangerous consequences, but he didn’t care about anything but keeping Duncan grounded in the moment. He moved his other hand from Duncan’s waist and thigh to his other cheek and brought his face close, pressing their foreheads together.  
  
“Duncan, breathe. That was three years ago. Whoever they were, they won’t get near the boys. Crabdad has always liked them, and you know he’ll keep any trespasser’s away as long as they’re here. They have you, me, Amaria, Mom, Karkat and Kankri, Silias, Cami, their friends. We all care about them, and we’ll do our damnedest to be sure they’re safe.”

His breathing slowed and Kaliri could feel him swallow as he nodded slightly. Those warm eyes closed and the hard lines around his eyes smoothed out as he relaxed, the muscles in his arms untensing first, followed by his spine lengthening and his legs letting up on their grip on his own.

  
“That’s it,” he mumbled, smiling as he watched the other calm down. “Just breathe, nothing will happen to them. I will do everything in my power to keep them safe, just like I know Amaria will. She’ll rip any threat to her son’s to shreds before they get within twenty feet.”

The slightly shorter human made a soft sound and sighed. His breath smelled like spice and chocolate, and a bit tart like the wine. Kaliri wanted to pull away and really look him over, take in every inch of the wonderful man currently in his lap, but he didn’t dare disturb the serene look slowly settling over Duncan’s face. He looked truly comfortable, sitting there, blanket falling off of their legs, pressed almost chest to chest, and Kaliri could feel a faint purr rumbling up in his chest. Duncan opened an eye and smiled a little, chuckling.  
  
“You always sound like a cat when you do that. It’s cute . ” Kaliri felt a faint blush spill across his cheeks but he couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips.  
  
“If I’m cute, what does that make you?” he teased, dropping his hands to rest loosely on the human’s shoulders, tugging him a little closer. “I would argue handsome if I had to pick an adjective.”

“Fuck you,” Duncan grumbled, but the flush across his cheeks was obvious, and his lips were twitching upwards in an embarrassed grin.  
  
“Moving a bit quick, aren’t you?” Kaliri teased, leaning a little closer, almost bumping noses.  
  
“If you’re trying to play gay chicken with a Marine, you’re going to lose, badly,” he said blandly.

“Really now?” he purred. “I’d call it winning.”

Duncan rolled his eyes and leaned in so Kaliri was forced back or else actually kiss him, not that he would object to that outcome. He smirked a little and let a growl enter his voice.  
  
“Really?” he stopped just an inch away from Kaliri’s lips, letting his eyes shut halfway, not looking away from his scarlet red eyes. “Well, game on then,”

Kaliri gulped, adam’s apple bobbing slightly. He could almost taste Duncan, hot breath barely passing over his lips and chin. Normally, that wouldn’t have been anywhere near appealing and he’d have laughed, shoving him off his lap. But right now, it made him want to lean forward and find out if he tasted like spice and wine. They stared at each other for a beat, unsure if the stupid game was real, or if they could actually close that gap. Kaliri moved first, slow and unsure. He just barely pressed his lips to Duncan’s, tentative to put more pressure into it. His purring didn’t subside, and in fact just seemed to get louder as he pulled away, feeling like a teenager again. It was a little ridiculous, and Duncan’s amused smirk made him frown and lean back in and kiss him again. This one lasted longer, and felt sweeter, almost. Duncan leaned into it, pressing him back into the couch as his arms blocked him in.  
  
“Wow,” he mumbled, feeling a stupid smile spread. His purr was vibrating in the base of his throat and Duncan Ampora did something Kaliri thought he would never hear. He giggled, his nose crinkling the slightest bit and his smug smile vanished as he put his head on Kaliri’s shoulder.  
  
“That tickled,” he protested, still giggling and Kaliri snorted, shaking his head, but his purr got louder, hiccuping with his laughter.  
  
“You said you liked it when I purr.”

“I do, but I never kissed you when ya were!” Duncan retorted, pulling away to look him in the eye.

Kaliri shifted his weight a bit and tugged the other closer, humming with his purr. “Do you want to kiss me again?”  
  
“Thought you’d never ask,” Duncan murmured, smiling as he leaned in as the same time as Kaliri.

They met in the middle, and the purr from his chest made Duncan’s lips feel a little odd but that thought was quickly erased as a wet, sandpapery tongue swiped over his bottom lip. Kaliri made a soft sound when Duncan bit his lower lip and pulled at it a little before they went back to kissing. Kaliri lost track of who started what kiss when the last ended, each lingering more and more, the slow building tension snapping like a twig in fire when Duncan pulled away to bite and nibble at his neck, finding a sensitive spot just under his ear that made him moan. 

  
“I didn’t know you could make that noise,” Duncan said breathlessly, pulling away a bit and Kaliri blushed, tugging him closer.  
  
“Shut me up then,” he said, leaning forward and catching the other off guard for a moment with his kiss.

This one was deeper, a little desperate as weight shifted and settled, pressing them both as close as they possibly could be without being one person, and still having some range of movement. Kaliri could feel Duncan’s hands sliding through his hair and tugging, making his purr rattle with a soft moan. He retaliated by pressing his hands up underneath Duncan’s shirt and running up his sides and stomach. Kaliri went for Duncan’s neck when he pulled away from the kiss, panting for air. He gave a wicked grin against the scarred skin and skimmed his teeth against his jugular, then pressed butterfly kisses up towards his pulse point. He paused there, feeling the rapid beat against his lips and pressed another kiss there, before moving on. Duncan arched slightly when he pressed his hot hands against his hip bones and dug into the muscle there as he bit a fleshy part of his shoulder, soothing the spot a moment later with his tongue, pressing kisses to the slowly forming hickey. He could feel blunt nails at the base of his horns and shuddered, feeling a little limp as Duncan dug into them, rubbing at the more exposed nerve endings and making him shiver. He gave Kaliri a slight smirk and pressed down as he bit at his neck and he made a noise not quite a mewl and not quite a moan.  
  
“Holy fuck,” Duncan breathed, pulling away and staring at him, eyes wide.  
  
Kaliri just flipped him off and shifted, half way prepared to just dump him off of his lap. Only, with a quick move, Duncan had him leaning against the pillows at the armrest, one of his legs sprawled awkwardly and the other bent at the knee, his foot half buried between the back couch cushion and the seat. Duncan dropped to his elbows, boxing him in, hips pressed against his lower torso before he moved.  
  
“That should not be a noise you’re able to make,” Duncan muttered to him, pupils blown out and breathing hard like he’d run a mile. Kaliri blushed then smirked and balled up the front of his shirt, tugging him closer.  
  
“I can make a whole lot more,” he muttered, nipping at his neck. Duncan groaned and he abused that spot relentlessly, sucking, licking and biting a hickey right where everyone could see it. The thought made him giddy and he growled a little, pulling away to add, “I can make you scream, if I wanted.”  
  
Kaliri smirked when he felt Duncan shudder and leaned back in to kiss him, making a soft noise as the desperation went up another notch. The human’s warm, calloused hands ran up the back of his neck into his hair, twisting and pulling just enough. They were both breathing heavily, unable to pull away, unable to stop for more than a few beats to breathe, and even then only when they were truly desperate. Kaliri slid his hands down towards Duncan’s ass and groped.

‘ _Gods damn, his ass is amazing,_ ’ he thought distantly, groping the firm, thick ass and pulling him close as he possibly could, grinding his hips upwards. That made Duncan stutter for a second, and he started to back off, an apology springing to his lips. Only to vanish in a moan as one of Duncan’s hands dug into his grub scars. They were healed over and not as sensitive as they had been several years ago, but the rough, scarred hand that rubbed at the softer tissue, and the muscle just underneath made him feel electric. His body was on fire, his blood was boiling and he was incredibly grateful his bugle hadn’t decided to join the mix yet.

“God, you’re beautiful,” Duncan muttered against his lips, breathing the same air.  
  
Kaliri opened his eyes and stared up at Duncan and felt his blood pusher skip a beat. His hair was every which way and the wavy locks were barely tucked behind his ear. It was thick and wound between his fingers easily, but despite it’s coarse appearance it was soft to the touch. His cheeks, chin and part of his neck had two days worth of dark, rough stubble that made him look almost completely different. His eyes were bright, pupils blown wide and his lips were swollen, bitten and kissed. Kaliri licked his lips, feeling his pusher stutter again. He was gorgeous.  
  
“You’re stunning,” Kaliri mumbled, trying to calm his breathing a little bit.  
  
Duncan hummed and settled more of his weight over top of him, shifting his legs so he was straddling his waist, grinning down at him. He rolled his hips upwards, groaning into the long, lingering kiss. This one was slower, but heavier, more meaning somehow conveyed between them. Kaliri worked his hands up Duncan’s sides, tracing scars and travelling up his spine. He shivered when he felt large, calloused hands at his neck, then down his front, skirting just to the side of his happy trail to squeeze his thigh, tugging him down a little bit more. Kaliri wrapped his arms around Duncan’s neck, more than happy to let him set the pace. His sigh at having a little more room turned into a moan as Duncan sucked another hickey at his neck, in a far more sensitive place than before.  
  
“Off,” he panted, tugging at his shirt and Duncan chuckled, sitting back a little, pulling his shirt off and leaning back down to nip at his neck.    
  
“Dads, we’re-- Nopenopenopenope! Fuck that and get a room! Dave, don’t look.” Karkat’s voice from the doorway made them both freeze and Cronus groaned,  
  
“Why did you have to do it on the couch?! We’re going to have to burn that now,”

“Oh, it’s not that bad. They were making out like horny teens,” Silias’ dry chuckle made Kaliri color and he dragged Duncan down to try and bury himself.  
  
“Kill me,” he groaned and Duncan chuckled, though he also looked embarrassed.  
  
“No, Amaria and I like having ya round,” he kissed his cheek and sat up, looking at the oldest Captor.  
  
Silias Captor was spindly, with sharp angles and lean muscle. His hair was kept out of his face with a hair piece that tucked just above his ears, but it wasn’t quite a hair band as it rested more on his forehead . He looked like an older version of Sollux, but with less aggressive bags under his striking blue and red eyes. He wore reading glasses occasionally, sometimes just to fuck with people, though at the moment they were hanging out of his jeans pocket. His form fitting black-gold shirt had a large Gemini symbol wrapped around it, so it made the casual observer do a double take to understand what it was. In one hand he had his sweater, a garish Twelfth Perigree’s tradition he’d picked up from human culture, and in the other, his phone. His sharp fangs were on full display as he gave the couple a smug smile.  
  
“Amaria is happy you two finally got your mack on but pissed you didn’t wait for her to get there, KV. Dun, you’re fucked,” he winked and gave a dry, hissing “Hehehehehehe,” as Duncan flipped him off. “Kinky. I wouldn’t mind that either.”

“Oh my god, Silias, _fuck off,_ ” Kaliri groaned and Silias cackled, shaking his head.

“No way! I have material now.”

Duncan rolled his eyes and called to Cronus, “Cro, Eridan wanted ya to see him once you got here. He may be asleep by now, but,”  
  
“Yeah, I know. Go see him him, make sure he’s okay.” he asked, still not looking at the half dressed Duncan, though he was pulling his shirt back on.

He snorted and rolled his eyes at his son’s antics, but pulled his shirt on and watched at the boys quickly made their way upstairs, laughing softly at the thumbs up and crooked smile Dave gave him. Cronus shoved his roommate playfully and Dave laughed, quickly running upstairs as he made a move to give him a noogie.  
  
“Gotta go fast!” he vanished up the stairs and around the corner before Cronus got to the second step.  
  
“God damn it, Dave! Stop making shitty references!” Karkat called, running after him but Cronus could see he was smiling nonetheless.

“Nah, you love it,” Dave drawled, leaning over the railing near the top of the stairs. “Who else in your life will give you ironic and so shitty they’re awesome memes?”  
  
Karkat just flipped him off but leaned above the railing to kiss him. “You’re a dork,” he said, even as Dave went bright red and a small, dopey grin pulled at his lips.  
  
“But I’m your dork,” he countered and Karkat rolled his eyes.  
  
“Somehow, beyond all reason and sanity, yes, you are my dork.”

Dave grinned and leaned over, kissing him quickly before he disappeared into Karkat’s room, the troll following. He paused, looking at Cronus, who was a few steps behind him.  
  
“You okay? You looked exhausted on the drive over here.”  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Cronus yawned. “I’ll talk to Eri and then hit the hay. Kanny’s gonna be back soon too, so I’ll have a nice warm moirail to cuddle.”  
  
Karkat huffed softly and shook his head, then yawned, shaking his head. “Yeah, okay. Enjoy my annoying asshole of an older hatch mate, I’m going to enjoy Dave.”  
  
“Vwhy, Karkat, are you gonna make him a dishonest maiden?” Cronus drawled, laying on a fake southern accent and making his voice high pitched.  
  
“You-UGH!!! Fuck off, Cronus.” Karkat flipped him off, and he laughed.  
  
“Good night, Karkat. Thank you for drivin me and Dave over here.”  
  
He grumbled and crossed his arms, glaring at him for a moment before he sighed and said,  
  
“You’re welcome, asshole.”  
  
“Sleep well,” Cronus grinned and went to the guest room, knocking on the door. “Eri, it’s me! Can I come in?”  
  
There was shifting and a soft hiccuped, “Go awway,”

“Eridan?” Cronus called, feeling his heart beat harder. He knew what it sounded like when his brother was upset, and when he’d been crying his eyes out. This was like he’d been trying not to cry and had been, muffling it in a pillow. His heart in his throat, he said, “I’m coming in,”  
  
He could see Karkat out of the corner of his eye pausing, looking worried, and went inside. The guest room was as it always was, neat, tidy, homey. Eridan’s clothes had been packed away neatly in the chest of drawers, bag pushed under the bed, his journal left on the desk. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was that Eridan was a habitually messy person and only cleaned when he felt incredibly stressed out, or took long showers, to the point Cronus and Duncan thought the boy had grown gills. At the moment, he was wearing a baggy shirt that looked like one of Feferi’s old ones that she would have given him, and a pair of purple sweatpants. He was curled around a pillow, clutching the purple hoodie Cronus had gotten him like a lifeline. His glasses were pushed up into his hair and his face was raw and red, tears and snot smeared everywhere.  
  
“I said go away, Cro,” Eridan snapped, hiccuping once more and Cronus frowned.  
  
“I’m not gonna do that, Eri.” he slowly walked towards his younger brother. “I’m an asshole, remember? I never listen to anyone when they tell me to do shit.”

Eridan hiccuped, and it could have been a laugh if he didn’t start crying all over again. Cronus sat beside him and pulled the gangly teen into his lap, practically cradling him. Eridan froze for all of five seconds before the tears started anew and he was clinging to Cronus, almost choking him. He didn’t say anything, just slowly rocked him back and forth, humming softly. It was a lullabye, he’d long forgotten the words but vaguely remembered it being French. He’d sung it to Eridan every night when he was a baby, quietly, so not to wake their mother. Whenever his brother was upset, Cronus would hum it until he calmed down.  
  
“Thanks, Cro,” Eridan finally managed, voice thick and wet with tears as he sniffed.  
  
“No prob, little bro.” he murmured, leaning over and grabbing the hoodie Eridan had dropped and using a sleeve to gently wipe his face clean.

‘ _I’m gonna have to wash this later,_ ’ he thought as Eridan scrunched his face, frowning as he rubbed at his eyes.  
  
“Vwanna tell me what got ya so upset?” Cronus asked as he pulled the dirty sleeve away, hugging Eridan close. It was a familiar position. Eridan was so much shorter than him, at least for the moment, before he’d shoot up like a weed. Even then, he knew he’d be more than happy to pull his little brother into his lap like he was a four year old, staring at him after having had a bad day and cuddling him close. Eridan was quiet, burying his face in his shoulder, fisting his shirt. Cronus could hear him mumbling something, but it was too muffled to be understood. He didn’t ask Eridan to repeat it, he would do that on his own when he was ready. He could feel the slighter hands curling and uncurling in his shirt. He just hummed softly and rocked him side to side, resting his head on Eridan’s.  
  
“I...Do you hate me?” his voice was so quiet Cronus had to strain to hear him.  
  
“I could never hate you, Eri. Be annoyed by you, yes. But you’re my baby brother.”

Eridan looked up at him then down, then mumbled, “WWhat if I said I didn’t feel like a boy… All the time?”

“Vwell, first I’d ask what ya meant, then I’d listen.” Cronus said, settling in.  
  
“I mean…” Eridan made a frustrated noise. “I don’t mean I’m like trans. I mean like, I sometimes feel like a girl, even though I know I shouldn’t because I’m a guy. And then, sometimes I don’t really feel right for either a boy or a girl, and it’s really confusing, like my brain can’t choose which one it wants so it says, fuck it! Neither’s fine with me! And when I _do_ feel like a boy, I’m comfortable… And I think I’m comfortable as a girl too,” he said in a rush, tears threatening as he added, “Please don’t hate me.”

Cronus stared at his baby brother for a solid minute, silent and simply processing. Finally, he said slowly,  
  
“Eridan Ampora. I could _never ever_ hate you. _Ever._ I don’t care what you call yourself, vwhat you do, or vwhat you wear. You’re my baby sibling, it’s my job to make sure you know about how stupid things are, annoy the piss outta ya, make you feel better, and help ya.” he wiped his tears away with the pad of his thumb, smiling. “Vwhat the hell made you think I’d ever hate you? That I even _could_?”

“I-I dunno knoww!” Eridan sobbed, but it seemed to be from relief this time. “O-Oh my god, Cro, I wwas so scared and I knew it was s-stupid, ca-cause you’ve always been there for me, and made s-sure I was okay before you were. An-And you’re the first person I told, but I think Fef kinda knows but she’s not sayin anyfin and I’m scared because wwhat if Pops or Dad or Mama get angry at me too? WWhat if they hate me? Or wwhat if they start actin like I’m goin through a phase, or something?!”

“Eridan, _breathe,_ ” Cronus said firmly, rubbing between his shoulder blades, nodding when he took a shuddering gasp. “That’s it. In, hold it. One… Two… Three… Four… Out, slowly. That’s it. Just keep breathing, Eri.”

He hiccuped a few times, but slowly calmed down, Cronus kept rubbing in between his shoulder blades, humming softly. Finally, Eridan calmed down and Cronus started talking.  
  
“Eridan, they’re our family, they won’t hate you, or throw you out. They vwon’t say you’re going through a phase, they won’t say you’re just a boy, or anything like that. Pops’ bi, Amaria and Kaliri have loved us like their own since the day they fuckin met us, and vwouldn’t let something like what gender you are influence that love. Cami’s protected us since the beginning, and Meenah and Fef? They’ll love you no matter what. And if anyone gives ya trouble, you send them to me and I’ll sort ‘em out,”

“You won’t cause you hate fightin,” Eridan sniffed, but he smiled regardless, hugging him tight. “Thanks, Cro.”  
  
“Course. What’re you today?”  
  
“...I don’t know.” they said after a long minute.  
  
“Hmnm.” he noogied them gently and cuddled them close. “Vwell, tell me when you figure it out and I’ll just call ya Eri, they, them, and baby sib.”

“Don’t tell Pops!!” they snapped, frenzied. “He can’t know! Or Dad or Mama- None of them! _Promise me_ ,”

“Okay, okay,” Cronus sighed. “I promise. But, you have to tell him at some point. Ya know he vwon’t be mad.”  
  
Eridan sighed and shook their head furiously. “No, but… I… I can’t tell him yet, Cro. I just… I just need to wwait a little bit longer. That’s all.”

“Until, vwhat, it explodes out of you? Again? You end up hurtin yourself? _Or,_ ya get hurt cause you don’t talk about it? Vwhat happens then, Eri?”  
  
They frowned and rubbed their eyes, pushing their glasses up further. “I don’t _care._ I’ll make it ww-work. I always have.”  
  
“Eri, ya don’t _have_ to do that!” Cronus protested. “We’re _safe_ now, and-”

“You don’t always act like that,” Eri snapped back. “You have PTSD attacks and nightmares, I know you do. I know you still wwake up screamin cause I can hear Pops talkin to ya, but you wwon’t call _me_ because I’m just too young to remember. But you’re _wrong,_ Cronus. I can remember _everything._ I can’t get it out of my head. Ever. I remember every bruise, every word, every time you came up bleedin, the time you started learnin to cover it all up with makeup better.” they stopped, choking on tears. “I remember, seeing you on the _ground_ , bleeding from your head, _her standing over you_ , and you… You, my big brother, laying motionless on the ground. I thought you w-were de-dead, Cro. I thought s-she fi-finally went through with her th-threat and killed you.”

Cronus winced and forced himself to take slow, even breaths. He had nightmares about that day, woke up feeling like he couldn’t breathe, screaming and thrashing. He couldn’t get it out of his mind, and after years of therapy, it had healed. The memory was no longer scar tissue, it had been healed over. It still bothered him, it would never go away, but it wasn’t present enough to send him into a panic attack. And since Eri seemed to be having one, or close to it, he was more than glad to be able to push that memory away and help calm his younger sibling down.  
  
“I h-hate that I can remember it all. I h-hate my mind!! I wwish it would just _stop!! I don’t want it!!_ ” they wailed, barely muffling the noise in Cronus’ shoulder.  
  
He tried to calm them down, but Eri was shaking with body wrenching sobs, clutching to his shoulders. Cronus looked up when he heard the door open and Karkat walked in, Dave not even a few steps behind him. The troll took one look at the distressed teen and sighed, then went over to them and gently ran his hand up and down their back.  
  
“Shhh, it’s okay Eridan-Eri,” he corrected himself when Cronus mouthed the name over their shoulder. “Breathe, shooooosh, it’s okay,”  
  
Cronus didn’t feel anything other than relief as Eri slowly calmed down, hiccuping and sobbing but quiet enough to not have to muffle themself in Cronus’ shoulder. Their face was red and their nose was running even as they wiped at it.  
  
“Brb,” Dave said, disappearing from sight, only to return seconds later with a cup from the bathroom, half full with warm water, and a damp washcloth. “Here, this should help. I’ll go get some Advil for hi-their headache. Good cries always give you one, whether you want it or not,” He moved slower this time, a quick step.

Cronus just huffed and ran his fingers through Eridan’s hair as Karkat slowly managed to pry them off. Karkat wiped off their face until Eri managed to stop crying and took the cloth, wiping the rest of the tears and snot away themself. By then, Dave had returned, holding two small blue oval tabs. He handed them to Eri, who popped them in their mouth and chased them down with some water. Now that all the emotion had passed, they slumped slightly, leaning against Cronus but not clinging. They looked exhausted, but a little lighter.  
  
“...I’m sorry, Cro,” they croaked and Karkat gave them a look. Eri stopped and drank some more water.  
  
“Look,” Karkat sighed, looking tired but not annoyed. “I’ve dealt with enough of your older brother’s panic attacks to know that you’ve been bottling that up like an idiot. That’s not fucking healthy, Eri. I could hear you crying last night, but when I came to check on you, you were dead asleep. Again, not very fucking healthy. So, you’re going to explain to us _why_ you felt you had to bottle that all up. And if it’s a good reason, I’ll only tell you to call your therapist. If there isn’t one, I’m going to get Dads and Mom, and and you’re going to talk to them. I’m not having another fucking scare like this.”  
  
Eri gulped and looked down at the floor before they said,

“I...I was scared. I was really scared.”  
  
Karkat’s expression softened and Dave pushed his glasses to his hair, raising a pale eyebrow.  
  
“Okay, why were you scared?” Karkat asked, patient.  
  
“I...I don’t always feel like a boy, and sometimes I feel like a girl. And sometimes, I don’t feel like either. And I know that’s weird, like really really weird, but I’ve been reading about it and it’s supposed to be “normal” for certain groups but I’m not gay-” they started to babble, tears pooling up and Karkat held up his finger. Eri trailed off and Cronus squeezed their shoulder.  
  
“Okay. First, that is what’s known as gender fluidity. That’s pretty damn normal, if you feel like that. And it’s not weird. Take it from the troll who doesn’t do “normal” quadrants, and who’s boyfriend-matesprit had to get over years of internalized homophobia to ask me out, you’re the furthest thing from weird. You’re a fucking kid, Eri. Ah,” he held up his finger once again when Eri opened their mouth to protest. “I’m not gonna say some stupid shit like, you’re not valid or whatever bullshit. Cause that’s fucking bullshit. What I _am_ going to say is that you’re a fucking kid.”

“And,” Dave added, perching himself on the end of the bed. “You’ve got, like an eidetic memory. You’ve got issues, you’re working through them. And the great thing about the whole gender bullshit is that it’s a knotted up mess of grey area and loosely defined terms. So, whatever you decide you feel right now? It can change. You don’t have to be pigeon-holed and fucked over by stupid expectations from either troll or human society. It’s a whole bunch of fucking bullshit anyways, the idea that people can only be one or the other, no matter what gender they “settle” on. Jesus, John said “he wasn’t a homosexual,” like if he so much as hugged me for too long he’d be gay. The toxic masculinity schtick is for backwoods rednecks in Texas who believe that if their truck ain’t blaring the most bass laden country song they can get their hands on, going down the highway at least twenty miles over the speed limit with tricked out pickups, their inch long schlongs will rip themselves off their bodies and fling themselves out the window in disgrace.”

Karkat rolled his eyes and Cronus nudged the younger man, just to get him to stop talking. But, Eri was cracking a smile. They looked a little confused, trying to parse out what Dave had said, but it seemed to have done the trick.

“Right, what he said.” Karkat said, rolling his eyes heavenward. “Though, Dave, for fucks sake, don’t ramble on for two minutes next time. And Eri,” he looked at them. “You have friends, you have a family. We care about you, so stop bottling this shit up. It’s going to hurt you, one way or another. And I really don’t want to lose another person, okay? Let’s leave the batshit crazy to grad students who decide to take on six hundred courses at once and survive on the grace of caffeine. You’re smarter than that.”

Eri nodded, though they looked much better having gotten it all off their chest. And a little sheepish. “I..I know. I just,” they paused, making a frustrated noise. “It’s a habit, Kar. I’m trying to break it, but it just… It’s hard.”

“Look, you’ve got a photographic-eidetic memory in your think pan, right?” When they nodded, he continued. “So, take a snapshot of me saying this. You have happy memories. You have good days. You can have bad days too, but they are made worse when you don’t fucking talk to people who care. Next time, call me. Or Dave, or Cronus. Or any one of our friends.”  
  
“Ehhh, Damara may not be much help,” Cronus started just as Dave added,  
  
“Don’t talk to Vriska.”  
  
Eri just stared at them blankly. Karkat explained,  
  
“Okay, so you know how Vriska is nicknamed Spider Bitch? Well, she’s a shitty person, and yeah, she’s had some serious issues to deal with, she dealt with them in the wrong way for a long time and is only now starting to try to be better. Damara is just… Damara. Basically, they’re both incredibly bitchy people. That for some fucking reason, we decide to keep around. I’m not sure if it’s because we just can’t get rid of them or we just don’t want to turn them loose on the city at this point.” he sounded annoyed, but he generally sounded annoyed when talking about his friends.  
  
“Egderp’s inherent stubbornness and just… _Niceness_ is rubbing off on Vriska, it seems. That and Rezi is a pretty stable foundation for her too, for all her own manic tendencies.” Dave added.

Cronus snorted and shook his head, then looked at Eri. They looked much better than they had before, at least, and far more relaxed. If anything, they looked like they were going to fall asleep right on his shoulder. Gently, he nudged them and they blinked at him sleepily, rubbing their eyes.  
  
“Eri, do you vwanna break the cycle?” Cronus asked.  
  
“Yeah,” they said without hesitating. “I don’t like that I’m like this, Cro. I don’t like that I just, shove shit down until it explodes outta me like that. And I _know_ I’ve got happier memories, I’ve got twelve years of them, and bad ones too. But, just… Some shit just doesn’t go away, ya know?”  
  
“Maybe not, but it does heal.” Cronus reminded them. “You can’t change the past, only how you look at it. So, you can keep usin that old defense mechanism, and start becomin that angry, scared, lonely kid vwith only Fef and me as friends, or ya can move forward. You just get stuck sometimes, Eri. S’kay, we all get stuck.”  
  
“But, you have people like Karkles and your bro to help make you see sense. And cool kids like me to remind you to chill,” Dave drawled, flopping on his back and making Eri twist slightly to see him properly. “Fist bump, dude. That was one hell of a night we’ve all just had. You can’t _not_ fist bump after all that.”

Eri rolled their eyes as theatrically as they possibly could, but reached over and fist bumped Dave, who grinned.  
  
“Awesome.” and sat up, rolling his neck. “You feeling better?”  
  
“Yeah, I am. Thanks for helping pull my head outta my ass,” Eri said with a faint smile and a large yawn. “And right now, I wanna sleep for a year.”  
  
“Well, you sleep for a year, I got dibs on your cinnabun on Christmas.” Cronus said smugly and Eri squawked, punching his shoulder lightly.  
  
“No way! That’s my cinnabun!”

“Better not sleep for a year then, huh?” Cronus snickered and Eri stuck out their tongue.  
  
“Fuck off, asshole!”

“Mnnmmm, nope.” he rubbed their hair, laughing as they tried to get him to stop, but not too hard.  
  
“Okay, okay, as exciting and unexpected this Ampora themed feelings jam was, you need sleep,” Karkat said, pointing at Eri. “And, to tell Dad, Pops, and Mom what you told us. You said you wanted to stop bottling shit up? Then do it. Stop saying you’ll just do shit and get it done.”

Eri sighed but nodded, yawning once more. “Yeah. I will.”

“Good.” Karkat said with a firm nod. “Now, go the fuck to sleep.”  
  
“Get outta my room and I can,” they retorted, already pulling at the covers.

Cronus stood and chuckled, rubbing Eri’s head once more. “Sleep well, Eri.”  
  
“Night,” Dave said, already heading towards the door. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite,”

“See you in the morning,” Karkat said, smiling just a little bit, and then joining the others out in the hall. Eri was asleep before Dave left.

Kankri was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and a worried expression on his face. “I heard the tail end of the conversation, but I didn’t think it was a good idea to interrupt you four. Is Eri alright?”  
  
“They’re fine,” Dave said with a nod. “Got a bunch of shit off their chest and had a bit of a freak, but we handled it. You look dead, dude. You and Cronus, so go get some sleep.”

Kankri looked like he wanted to argue, but Cronus simply gave him the puppy eyes and he sighed.  
  
“Alright, let’s go to bed,”

“Night, asshat,” Karkat yawned, bumping his shoulder with Kankri’s. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

Dave followed his matesprit to their room and gave them both a two finger salute before quietly closing the door behind him. Cronus followed Kankri to their room and got dressed for bed as Kankri went to brush his teeth. When he came back, Cronus went to wash off his makeup and brush his own teeth. By the time they were in bed, Cronus half sprawled on Kankri and Kankri using him as a book rest, he was exhausted. But he couldn’t sleep.   
  
“How did neither Pops or Dad, or Silias, for that matter, hear Eri?”

“Hmn? Oh, they were asleep on the couch. Silias had covered them in a blanket and made sure they weren’t going to wake up with cricks in odd places, and left me a note. He said he’d be here for Christmas and New Years Eve, along with Sollux and Mituna. So, that makes pretty much everyone we know here for the Christmas party and then the New Years Eve party is just everyone.”

“Oh, joy,” Cronus yawned. “Tis the season,”

“Hmnm. Speaking of, I have an early gift for you. Latula'll be here tomorrow to pick us up. We’re going to the tattoo parlor.”  
  
“Shit, really?” the first real light of happiness sparked in his eyes and he smiled wide, perking up. After the last emotional hour and a half, his moirail looked a mixture of excited and exhausted, a sleepy smile spread across his face.  
  
“Yes, really,” he purred, putting his book in the windowsill and wrapping his arms around Cronus. “You’ve been waiting for your first tattoo for months now. It’s the nautical one that Damara designed, it can take up your shoulder and upper bicep, or really wherever you want to put it. Vriska is tagging along, she wanted to get a tattoo of her own, and John will be coming with her.”  
  
He chuckled, cutting himself off with a yawn. “Sounds good, Kanny,”

“Go to sleep, Cronus. You sound exhausted.”  
  
“Cause I am,” he mumbled, already closing his eyes.

“Sleep well, Cronus,” Kankri murmured but he was already out like a light. A few minutes later, and Kankri was too.


	6. In Which Two People Take a Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holidays have finally arrived! Days filled with snowball fights, laughter, teasing and watching TV. The nights are filled with cuddling, discussions of scars and contemplating romance and religion. Kurloz is still stupid and Cronus is oblivious. To everything. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT I'M ALIVE!!! Ahhhhh thank you, everyone, for your patience, or whoever is still following along my attempts at plot and shenanigans. Thank you for the comments, kudos, bookmarks and just reading this. I'm attempting a slight style change, so let me know what you think in the comments below. The song Cronus sings, later on, is Like Real People Do, by Hoizer.  
> As always, a lovely shout out to my friend Sparrow who has been my lovely beta for these past few chapters and keeping me from going too far off the deep end. They are a fantastic writer, you should go check them out on Tumblr at: www.sparrowwritings.tumblr.com.  
> They write all sorts of awesome things and are currently doing a month-long challenge where they write a drabble a day from a single word prompt. It's all really really good, and quite a bit of original work. Go check them out!!  
> DISCLAIMER!!  
> If by now, after having made it this far, you don't know that Homestuck is the brainchild of Andrew Hussie, I cannot help your poor soul. All OC's belong to me, as usual, though all of the ancestors named here are from the comic. I just gave them names.  
> Okay, now on with the story!
> 
> I hope you enjoy and that all is well!  
> -RR

He was running, legs aching and burning despite the freezing cold snow that tugged at his ankles, slowing him down. His lungs ached with every breath, like glass and fish hooks had been shoved inside instead of muscle and veins. His nose was a bright red, stinging with the bitter cold of the wind, and his ears, even under the protective layers, were stinging with cold. He didn’t think about any of that. Simply that he had to run. The cold, still air was shattered around him as he tramped through the snow, breath steaming in front of him in short, grey clouds as he gasped for air.

‘ _Almost there,_ ’ was the desperate thought, just before something collided with his face and sent him sprawling face down in the snow.  
  
“God fucking damn it, Dave!” Karkat yelled, pushing himself up from the snow bank and spitting snow out of his mouth. At least it was clean snow. “You cheated, I know you did!”  
  
His blonde boyfriend-matesprit jogged over to him, tossing another snowball up and down in his hand leisurely. He was dressed in several layers; an undershirt, a thermal shirt over that, leggings underneath his lined jeans, a sweater, and a thick coat with a fur lined hood. A hat covered his blonde hair, gloves on his hands, a bright red scarf was wrapped around his neck, and his sunglasses were tucked away, safe in his jacket pocket. His boots crunched on the fresh fallen snow, filling the air once more. The fucker was grinning like it was the best joke, and though Karkat was fighting down a grin, he was still upset. He’d been so close to the base he and Dave had set up.  
  
“Yeah, but your face was too good, babe.” he flopped down next to Karkat, rolling onto his back and shivering as the cold seeped into his many layers. “God fucking damn, I hate the cold. Like, my poor Texan body can’t handle it. Not any more. It’s too cold, too much. I need skin melting heat waves, make walls and shit melt away. I think I can feel my balls retreating into my body it’s so damn cold.”  
  
Karkat snorted but rolled so he was hovering over Dave and leaned in close, his lips an inch away from Dave’s. “Maybe,” he murmured. “I can warm you back up?”  
  
Dave’s eyes were so much more expressive than the rest of his face sometimes. His mouth ticked up at the corner but his eyes were shining bright like small fires. Slowly, that smile in his eyes spread to the rest of his face and the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes wrinkled into existence and his slightly crooked white teeth peeked out as he fully smiled. His white blonde hair was just a little more blonde than the snow, and his skin was tinged red from the cold. Snowflakes melted on his eyelashes, almost like the fire in his eyes was tangible.

‘ _He looks so pretty,_ ’ Karkat thought, leaning over and kissing him, first slow and soft. Barely there. Dave whined when he pulled away and he snickered, leaning back in to kiss him again, and again, and again. Each time, he lingered a little longer until Dave finally got tired and rolled them over, smirking down at him with that playful light in his eyes before it slowly faded to something softer that made Karkat’s breath hitch.  
  
“You’re beautiful,” Dave said softly, leaning down to kiss him. His lips were chapped and a little cold, but Karkat was hot as a furnace. It was really little more than them pressing their lips together, but it made his blood pusher skip beats like it was their first kiss all over. Dave wasn’t one for public affection, outside of holding his hand or hugging . Even though they were at the farm house, in the middle of a snow covered field, it still made Karkat feel like something was breaking down in Dave, another layer of carefully maintained “cool kid irony”. He reached his arms up and wrapped them around Dave’s neck, licking at his bottom lip and suddenly it went from soft and innocent to a rush of tongues fighting and low moans being drawn out. Dave pulled away when he absolutely had to, breathing hard and smiling at him. He didn’t move very far, his lips barely an inch away, but Karkat couldn’t help his whine of protest.  
  
“Oi, lovebirds!” Cronus’ voice made Dave’s head drop to Karkat’s shoulder, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Karkat growled and then looked over, baring his teeth at the other. Well, there was that magical moment ruined. Cronus didn’t even look bothered, just grinning like the asshole he was.  
  
“Come on, everyone’s vwaitin’ for ya.”  
  
“Everyone meaning-?” Dave asked, still not pushing himself up.  
  
“Vwell, your brother, sisters, Mituna, Sollux, Silias, Jade, Mr. Egbert, John, Jane, Nana, Mr. Harley, Jake, Pops, Eri, Fef, Cami, Aranea, Spider Bitch, Minnow, Aradia, Damara, Rufioh, Tavros, Kanaya, Porrim, Meulin, Bec, Nepeta, Mama, Dad,” he paused and then looked at the road, where a few more cars could be heard. “And Horrus, Equius, Terezi, Latula, and I assume Kurloz and Gamzee just arrived. So, basically everyone we know, plus a few of their own parents.”

“Fuck when did they all get here?!” Karkat asked, flopping back down in the snow.  
  
“Y’all have been out here for at least two hours.” Cronus said, raising his brow. “It’s Perigree’s, vwhat were ya expectin?”

“Fuuuuuuuuccccckkkkkk,” Karkat groaned, closing his eyes. “I thought we had another hour,”  
  
Dave chuckled and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, Karkles, let’s go say hi to the relatives,”

Cronus grinned and looked to the house. “Actually, I think they’re coming out to you.”  
  
“Wait, what-” Karkat was cut off as a snowball pelted him in the side of the face. He was left stunned for a moment, blinking stupidly as Dave dodged another.  
  
“AMBUSH!!” he yelled, laughing, grabbing Karkat’s hand and diving for a snow bank.  
  
“Every troll for themselves !” Someone yelled, followed by maniacal laughter, that could have been Terezi or Vriska, or both of them.  
  
Cronus sprinted for his own base that he’d made shortly before coming to join Karkat and Dave, diving behind it just as Nepeta pelted snowballs at him. He had no idea who was on whose team, but he could see Eri, Feferi, and Meenah sprinting towards someone, arms full of snowballs. He gathered up several handfuls of snow and packed them together messily, before sprinting towards Horrus, throwing them as he went. It was a mess, but it was a lot of fun. Kanaya got him in the side just as he launched one at Rose, who managed to dodge it with a smirk. He wasn’t sure if she was using her weird clairvoyant senses or not. Mituna and Sollux were using their psionics to throw handfuls of snow at everyone, regardless of who they were, though with the heat from the energy, they turned more into slush balls on impact.  
  
Nepeta was riding around on Equius’ back before she would leap off and tackle someone into a snowbank and then run away, leaving them to struggle out of it. Latula was back to back with Mituna, shouting something that was lost in the laughter and shouts of everyone else, but she seemed to be having a good time. Terezi and Vriska were using a snow fort for cover, Vriska calling out directions and Terezi hitting the targets with shocking accuracy, cackling all the while.  
  
“Not fair using your smell vision!” someone yelled, Cronus was fairly certain it was Dirk, who was currently standing with Horrus and whipping snowballs fast as he could. He nailed Cronus in the thigh with one, and he was sure it would leave a bruise.  
  
“No it isn’t, cool kid mark 2.0!” she yelled back, grinning like a shark. “You’re cheating because you can see then!”  
  
“Blind girl schtick doesn’t work on me!” he called back in a deadpan, which just made Terezi laugh harder, disappearing behind her snow fort.  
  
Meenah ran right past Cronus, grinning wide and breathing hard, calling,  
  
“Keep up, Clownfish!”

The battle devolved from there, and he was fairly certain Kankri was pelting Porrim with snowballs as she tried to hit Meulin, who was going after Horrus and Equius. Nepeta was trying to tackle someone into the snow, and Cronus could just make out lyre shaped horns and a cloud of dark hair. Gamzee went down easily, just rolling with her, his laugh booming. Cronus looked over his shoulder when he heard something crackle right past his ear and Sollux swore as he hit someone else. He didn’t pay attention to what was in front of him and ran smack into a hard muscular chest. He would have fallen if the owner of said chest didn’t wrap an arm around his shoulders.  
  
“Hey there brother,” Kurloz said, grinning down at him. His skull makeup was strangely absent, which would have been jarring on it’s own. However, Cronus was paying closer attention to how close he was pressed to Kurloz, and how close Kurloz’s face was to his own.  
  
‘ _He’s not as cold as I was expecting him to be._ ’ was the one thought that made it through the stuttering reboot of his brain. And then, ‘ _Holy shit, he’s only wearing a hoodie and a thick sweater, he’s going to freeze._ ’  
  
“What the fuck are ya vwearin?” he asked, still not taking a step away from the tall troll.  
  
Kurloz looked down at himself and then back at Cronus, raising a brow and smirking faintly.  
  
“Lined jeans, two layers, boots and a pair of gloves? Should I be wearing less?”  
  
He almost smacked himself for the awful attempt at a pickup line, but it seemed Cronus either didn’t care, or completely missed it because he was stepping away only to wave his hands at him, talking fast.  
  
“Vwhat the hell, Kurloz? Seriously! I know you’re colder cause you’re higher on the hemaspectrum, but what the shit?! It’s like… Twenty degrees out here! You’re gonna get sick, or somethin!”

Kurloz’s smirk faded into a small smile and he shook his head. “Nah, I won’t. Purples are bred for the extremes,”

Though, the fact that Cronus seemed to care made his blood pusher skip a few beats. They may be friends now, but he couldn’t lie to himself. His mouth tasted like ashes and blood each time he tried to tell himself he wasn’t falling for the short human, and yet he couldn’t describe it. He was close to bursting with the inability to sort out the emotions he felt towards Cronus. Somedays, it felt pale, others it was red and it made his stomach roll when he felt pitch or ashen. It was confusing, and a little bit painful. He was a little worried that if he told Mituna, he’d would think he was dumping him for the human, and he really couldn’t deal with losing his moirail of four sweeps on top of the insane emotions he was dealing with. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt someone pap his cheek. For a moment, he thought it was Cronus but the faint smell of ozone told him otherwise.  
  
“Hey, Loz,” Mituna’s slightly nasal voice was right in his ear. “You’re looking like a space cadet. What’s up?”  
  
He blinked, and Cronus was still standing in front of him, but he could feel a weight in his hand, then looked around. Cronus must have dragged him away from the main area of the snowball fight so he wouldn’t get hit, and either called Mituna over or his moirail had followed.  
  
“I’m fine,” he said, shaking off his stupor. “Thinking,”  
  
Cronus didn’t look like he believed him, but before he could say anything, Damara nailed the side of his face with a snowball. He twitched then gathered up his own snowball and yelled,  
  
“Megido!! You’re dead!” and took off after her. Damara simply flipped him off and ran like the snow wasn’t even there, a red shape slowly disappearing towards the house.  
  
“Come on, let’s go,” Mituna said, taking his hand and walking towards the house. He moved slowly, forcing Kurloz to match his pace. “So,” he started, staring at his slightly taller moirial. “What’s up with you? You’ve been spacing out since we got here. Is it Cronus?”  
  
Kurloz sighed and shrugged, tugging at his hand so he could sign. But, instead, Mituna held on tighter.  
  
“Nope, you’re talking this out, Kurloz.” He shook his head, moving his bangs, revealing sharp blue-red eyes, much like Silias and Sollux, but with stress lines and faint veins showing.

His psionics were strong, but he had less stamina than his younger hatch mate or guardian and would get stress migraines if he went over his limits. Sollux had more control, but his bi-polar disorder made his control fluctuate. He’d gotten better over the years, with less extreme swings when they did happen, but both brothers were difficult to rein in with their powers. Aradia helped keep Sollux more stable, reminding him to take his medicine, breaking him out of his shell, and making sure he was okay. They were good for each other. Kurloz and Mituna kept each other stable in much the same way. Mituna would remind him to take his medicine, go with him to therapy when he needed it, and keep him from going on manic benders. Which, would inevitably lead to his dark carnie side coming out, which wasn’t good for anyone. Kurloz kept Mituna was stressing too much and overusing his powers, and reminding him to actually sleep instead of going until his body gave out from exhaustion.

Kurloz raised his free hand and attempted to tuck the bangs behind his ears. It worked for all of five seconds, and then they fell into his face once more, frizzy hair sticking out every which direction. It was endearing. Mituna shook his head and the hair at least went out of his face enough to see his moirail mostly properly.  
  
“I…” Kurloz looked at Mituna, then over his shoulder, as the mess of a snowball fight that was going on. Cronus was with Feferi, running around with her on his back, barely looking bothered by the weight. Eridan was on Karkat’s back, Dave a few paces away with Aradia, Jade, Dirk and Jake, firing snowballs at Jane, John, Rose and Kanaya. Kankri was wrestling with Gamzee, which was amusing to wa tch. Terezi, Latula,Meulin, and Vriska were chasing Cronus and Feferi it seemed, as Rufioh, Tavros, Equius, Nepeta, Horrus and Damara squared off against Sollux, who had a giant snow pile in his psionics.  
  
“You…” Mituna prompted, not stopping and starting to swing their hands together almost childishly. “You what, Loz?”  
  
“I have something all twisted in my blood pusher, it’s been driving me bitch tits batshit. Everytime I look at him, it’s another stab of pity. Sometimes, it’s pale, sometimes it’s red, sometimes it’s ash and pitch at the same time… But it always feels like it’s red. I can’t- It’s,” he broke off with a frustrated noise, pressure in the air around them pressing and tightening, teasing at the edges of their minds. Mituna calmly reached over and papped his cheek, sliding his fingers up and over his cheek, thumb rubbing at his temple while his fingers scratched lightly at his scalp.  
  
“Shhshhhshsh, it’s okay, Loz. S’all good here, my bro. Nothing to flip bout, you’re good. Shshshshhshh,” he let his voice drip and ooze, like honey over a comb in one of Sollux’s mainframes. He tried to break his habit of actually using leet speak in everyday conversation, or using his skater park slang, but it had proven effective in calming his clown down in the past. This time was no different. Kurloz’s shoulders relaxed and the hand that’d been holding his loosened to a more manageable level. Kurloz took a breath and seemed to steady himself.  
  
“I...I don’t fuckin know what’s goin on in my pan, or in my pusher. I...It’s all,” he made a motion with his fingers at the side of his head and rolled his eyes up for a moment before blinking. He looked back at Mituna. “You know, pale brother?”  
  
Mituna just stared at him with a smug smile, sharp, overcrowded fangs showing as it stretched wider. “Loz, hate to say it pale bro, but you’re horns over heels for someone. Ccaaaaannnnn I guess? Can I? Betcha I can guess.”  
  
Kurloz just stared at his moirail and blinked, which he took as the go-ahead.  
  
“Iiiiisssssssss it Aranea?”

Kurloz snorted and shook his head a little. Mituna’s grin just got wider.   
  
“Iiissssss it Kanny?”

“Fuck, Messiah’s no!” Kurloz laughed, startled. “Little Red doesn’t go for that kinda thing. I’d know.”  
  
“Wait, _what?!_ You’ve asked Kankri Vantas to be in your red quad? Shit, bro, I had you allllll wrong. Jegus.”

That made Kurloz laugh harder, uncaring of how loud he was. A few birds flew away from the trees down the field, and he could hear Gamzee answering his laugh, and then a shriek of laughter from someone else. He took a few deep breaths and managed to calm down, still giggling every now and then.  
  
“No, I know because Kankri and I are platonic friends, and I’ve known him since we were wrigglers. Brother doesn’t have a red rom interest, or a black rom interest. He’s happy bein pale, apparently.” he shrugged. “Didn’t ever think about it. He’s a good guy, and thank the fucking Messiah’s that he’s not so damn long winded anymore, but never thought of him as anything more than platonic.”

“It’s Cronus ain’t it?”

Kurloz went purple from the tips of his ears to his neck and Mituna’s smug smile lessened just a little bit to be more the understanding moirail.  
  
“Loz, it’s fine. Just talk to him,”  
  
He shook his head furiously and tugged at his hand. Mituna let go and watched Kurloz’s hands carefully.  
  
_Fuck no. Are you kidding me, brother?! We just stopped hating each other. I don’t even know how I like him. All I know is it’s a mess of quadrants and it’s starting to get painful to try and think about. I’d rather stay platonic with him and figure out if he even likes me. If he does, then I’ll worry about my messed up feelings._ _  
_

“Are your feelings messed up because you’re trying to sort him into a single quadrant? Because he’s human, humans don’t follow that kind of romance. I mean, some do. And some’re really fucking good at it. I mean, Cronus seems to be pretty good at juggling being Kankri’s moirail and flirting with like… all of campus and probably getting laid. Dude’s got game, somefuckinghow. Although,” he looked at Kurloz with a sly smile once more. It was a strange look for his normally bubbly moirial. “He hasn’t been flirting with anyone since he got back from Peru. It’s kinda funny. That’s about when you two sorted your shit out. And, he turned down a lot of people, like the most popular girl _and_ guy on campus. A few others have tried to ask him out, but,” he shrugged. “No bites. Dude’s turned em all down.”  
  
“He’s been working on his thesis and exams,” Kurloz said, refusing to let himself have any false hope. It only hurt more when hope of any kind was involved, because it opened up the path of _what if,_ and he really didn’t want to be thinking about _what_ _ifs_ _._ “So he turned down people for sex. That’s a pretty logical response, Mituna.”

“Kurloz, Cronus practically _breathes_ flirtation, and he doesn’t hide away from one night stands every now and then, least from what I’ve been told.” he shrugged. “Dave told Karkat, who told Sol, who ranted at me because Karkat was ranting at him, that Cronus sometimes doesn’t come home and is either at someone’s dorm or just… Out. But I also know that he doesn’t sleep around as much as everyone thinks.”  
  
Kurloz just raised his eyebrow and Mituna grinned. “I know from a reputable source that Cronus Ampora has slept with at most nine chicks and eleven guys and taken them out to get breakfast after so they didn’t feel like shit. Of those, seven of the women were human chicks who go to our school and are in his program or the music-arts program, and only five of those guys were human, in the same programs. The others? Trolls. All across the caste, all from the art, music or science departments.”

He didn’t clarify that this had all been discussed in the group chat, and that his reputable source was none other than Rose Lalonde, the underground gossip queen. She was sly, probing and shockingly easy to open up to. Mituna had watched her work before and found himself wanting to talk to her. It was odd, not pale, not red. Just a steady pull towards her. She always seemed to know just seconds before something happened to her directly, and took things in a kind of composed, almost deadly grace. She seemed to know everyone on campus, or everyone on campus knew her, one way or the other. Those that she’d talked to had apparently gossiped to their hearts content about Cronus, though she’d left out the details of the actual sex, aside from dropping, “Cronus is, apparently, very talented at making someone feel good, no matter what’s going on,” into the chat and refusing to clarify beyond that. Mituna wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about that one, but he was fairly certain grateful for lack of details was in that mix somewhere.

“Really now?” Kurloz asked, raising his brow.  
  
“Yes, really bro.” Mituna nodded. “Seriously, I couldn’t make it up if I fuckin wanted to. My source is known for being honest.”  
  
“Strider or LaLonde?” he asked.  
  
“Fuck you is who,” Mituna shot back, laughing. “I ain’t tellin,”

Kurloz rolled his eyes but smiled and took Mituna’s hand again, squeezing. He could feel the tense ball of emotions slowly unwinding from his chest and took a deeper breath, sighing. He could taste charcoal and something sharp. It was like the cold given an actual taste, hitting his palette and giving him a slight shock before it warmed a few degrees to match his body. It was nice, grounding.  
  
They’d nearly reached the house, both feeling better, when Damara of all trolls, hopped off the front porch and walked over to Kurloz. She reached up and flicked him in the forehead, completely unafraid of his reaction time or even the instinctual growl that bubbled in his throat. She simply bared her teeth in a creepy smile-not smile and laughed at him.  
  
“You’re so fucking stupid, Kurloz.”  
  
_Care to tell me why?_ He signed, after flipping her off.  
  
“There’s alotta reasons,” she shrugged. “Don’t have the time to tell you all of them, and don’t care. Just saying, you’re a fucking moron. More than normal. You’re really damn obvious to everyone expect your idiot. You’re thinking like a troll.” she flicked him again, just as hard as before. It actually stung a little. “Don’t.” and with that, she was gone, heading back down to the snowball fight.  
  
“Tell me why she’s our friend again?” Kurloz growled and Mituna sighed.  
  
“Because, that’s why. I don’t think anyone else knows anymore.”

Kurloz rolled his eyes but followed Mituna inside. He had all of five seconds to register that someone was throwing themselves at him and then lips pressed at his cheek before Roxy LaLonde was hugging him tight and laughing in his ear. The only reason he knew it was her and not her younger sister was because Rose didn’t throw herself into her friends arms, unless she was quite drunk.  
  
“Merry Perigreemas, Kurly!!” she sang right in his ear, making him wince but letting her go would just make her cling more.  
  
“Merry Motherfuckin Perigree,” he mumbled back, feeling a grin twitch at his lips. He couldn’t help it. Roxy was a force to be reckoned with and her optimism was something legendary, right along with John’s boundless joy, Tavros’ kindness and Jane’s caring nature.  
  
“You’re under the mistletoe, bb,” she giggled, leaning away and planting another kiss on his nose before she pulled away and gave him a wink, then frowned. “You’re freezin cold! What’re you doing in just a hoodie? You’re gonna get stupid sick!”

He rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling and the clump of mistletoe like it had an answer as to why everyone kept asking him that damn question. Predictably, it said nothing.  
  
“Because I ain’t that fucking cold. I am literally cold blooded,” he deadpanned, finally able to drop her. She didn’t have very far to go, and she landed on her feet, cocking her hip out as she put her hands on her waist. She looked very much like a disapproving mother, which would have been more intimidating if Kurloz couldn’t pick her up and carry her like a sack of potatoes.

“You,” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes.  
  
“Me?” Kurloz asked, raising his brow as she looked at him. He was starting to feel a little nervous. She was Looking at him With That Tone of Voice.

Mituna just seemed amused by his mild distress and shook his head, snickering quietly to himself. He noted, belatedly, that she hadn’t put her contacts in, showing off her eyes. Unlike Dave, whose eyes were a burning red, her’s were a lighter pink, despite also being almost albino like her younger sibling. She usually wore color contacts to hide them away, making her eyes a rich nut brown. He’d originally thought the contacts helped shield her eyes from the sun, but he’d learned she could see fine, and had become more adapted to the sun and bright light, and after having built the tolerance, tanned.   
  
“Are going to go get dressed in something _dry_ and then get something in your stomach,” she said with an air of finality, pale pink eyes burning. Her usual smile was pulled into a tight frown of Motherly Disapproval. With her blonde hair, tanned skin, and near boundless optimistic attitude, many took her to be, at face value, a ditz, despite her being able to program on a level on par with Sollux and having a hacking skill that was fairly frightening. He’d seen her make a computer literally explode. Right now, though, the most frightening thing about her was the smothering mother hen energy she practically radiated. And he had no doubts that she would resort to physical means. “And then, you’re going to sit by the fire. Amaria went to get everyone else.”  
  
He sighed and shook his head, but went to do as he’d been asked. Mituna laughed and went off to find something to eat. Kurloz nodded to Nailia Pyrope as he headed towards the upstairs, who gave him a shark-like smile and not so gently whapped his shins with her cane sword, leaning on her good leg for a moment. Her blind eye, a crimson red that encompassed the entire cornea, was a glaring contrast to the rich teal of her right, and was no less unsettling despite having known her for years, even after he’d gotten used to it. However, he could already see the slowly creeping crimson that marked she was going to be fully blind.  
  
“You’re sounding and looking more and more like bone!” she cackled. “Get something in your stomach, or else you’ll just be a scarecrow, bone boy.”  
  
“Of course, Nailia,” he said, slipping by her before Rosa could be summoned with the mention of someone being hungry. Or worse, Kaliri. He had a bark beast look that could make Mirith and Silias, two of the most stubborn trolls known to the face of the earth, melt and do as he asked.  
  
Kurloz headed up the stairs towards Kankri’s room, where he’d left his bag of clean and dry clothes, after dropping off his gifts. He left his boots in the hallway, knowing his shorter friend would quite possibly follow through with the unspoken threat to rip his horns off if he fucked with anything in his room. Trolls jealously guarded their private areas, letting only those they trusted into them. Even with how trusting Kaliri was, it was hard to be invited to his home.

Kankri let Kurloz crash more than once in his room, and he knew it was because they’d been friends for so long that he was allowed to be there without the other anxious over what he’d do to it. He shucked off his wet socks and damp pants, laying them over the back of his desk chair before pulling on his favorite pair of skeleton print jeans. His hoodie, sweater and shirt followed, and he quickly pulled on a plain black shirt and the heather grey hoodie Rosa had knit for him last year, keeping with his preference to have somewhere to stick his hands when he didn’t feel like signing or talking. It was soft and warm, and even though he didn’t really feel the cold like the others did, he did like being warm. He made a happy little chirr in the base of his throat before he left, going back downstairs to join the others.

Duncan was helping Rosa in the kitchen, the pair of them moving like a well-oiled machine as they hustled. Kaliri was talking animatedly with Camilia, Silias, and Rufioh and Tavros’ guardian, Suimon. The broad-shouldered bronze-blood was hovering a foot off the floor, his wings beating steadily. He didn’t even seem to notice he was doing it.  
  
“Suimon, you’re creating a gust,” Nailia called from the living room, where she’d been talking with Equius’ and Horrus’ guardian, Kerron, Vriska and Aranea’s guardian, Makris, and Aradia and Damara’s guardian, Yihana.  
  
“I would suggest, then, that you stop flapping those bla-large wings,” Kerron grunted, catching himself just barely. He was from a very long line of Indigo bloods, often stuck in their hemophobic ways despite the change that had come about. Kurloz didn’t mind the older troll, but he could be irritatingly set in his ways and so Kurloz preferred to interact with him as little as he possibly could. Kerron wasn’t good or bad, he was, more often than not, neutral. But, he was attempting to change, and it seemed prolonged contact with the odd group had broken through some of his thick skull of the years. That didn’t mean hemophobic slip ups didn’t happen. They just happened less often.

“Well, shit, I’m sorry Rosa, Nailia,” Suimon said, landing once more and letting the fragile copper wings droop slightly as he rested. “Didn’t mean to cause anything,” his voice was deep and rolling, with a strange mesh of accents that didn’t quite make sense. His fingers tapped at his leg, keeping an internal rhythm and his pointed ears twitched every now and then, much like Meulin’s did despite her not being able to hear any longer. He was tall, almost six foot seight, and his horns were huge, each easily a foot long and almost six inches tall, and coupled with his muscular frame, first glance made one assume he lacked any sort of grace. Oddly, he was very light on his feet, and constantly careful about where he was with others in a room. That didn’t help all the time, and he’d be caught in a doorway occasionally or hit into someone or something, usually causing minor damage. But, he tried.

“It’s fine,” Rosa said, obviously distracted. “Duncan, you really should sit down, your leg is going to start bothering you if you don’t-”  
  
“I’m fine, Rosa,” he huffed, but Kurloz could see the way he was shifting his weight like he was trying not to let it show how much he hurt.  
  
“Hoohoohoo!” came a sudden cheery, and mischievous, laugh. Nana Egbert somehow managed to appear beside Rosa, like she’d come from a wall. She was slightly hunched over a cane, and had the same buck teeth as John and hers were just as endearing. Her glasses were thick and seemed to magnify her bright sky blue eyes that shone with a kind of clarity and youth that never truly left the older woman, and she gently poked Duncan’s ankles and feet. “I could use some company over on the couch, dear and you could use some time to put up your feet! Now, come along.”  
  
Rosa practically shoved him out of the kitchen as Nana wrapped her free arm with his, giggling all the while. Duncan dwarfed the woman easily, but he was undeniably gentle with her, stooping a little so she didn’t have to lift her arm so high to fit it within the crook of his elbow. She moved fairly well for a woman with a metal hip, two metal knees and a cane, though the cold was obviously effecting her usual springy steps. Duncan kept his steps slow and measured as they walked the short distance to the living room and couch, where the fire was blazing. Kurloz snagged a bun from Rosa’s tray at the risk of getting his hand smacked with her wooden spoon for his trouble. He barely dodged the sharp eyed jade, who frowned at him, lips pursing before she sighed.

“Oh, alright. But just the one. Now, off with you before the others get any ideas,” she said it imperiously like he could see the way her eyes were crinkling at the corners as she fought to keep her frown in place. He just saluted and meandered towards the living room, careful to step around the gifts that spilled across the floor in a frankly ludicrous fashion and number. This year, it seemed the bows on each gift corresponded to blood color, which made it a little easier to distinguish, and the humans had a second ribbon that seemed to correspond to the givers blood color. Each person’s gifts were pretty easy to tell apart, even if they hadn’t been put into piles. They were mostly small things, as they all preferred to make things for each other rather than spend copious amounts of money on store bought things.

If he looked at them long enough, he thought he may be able to tell apart who wrapped which gift. The ones that looked like they belonged on a storefront obviously belonged to Kanaya and Porrim, the neat edges of boxes and presents wrapped up tight were a pretty clear indicator. The ones who’s bows were shredded a little belonged to Meulin, he knew her love of fiddling with ribbons, almost like an actual cat. She could tie tiny, tight knots at the ends she’d frayed with the same ease, however. It was fascinating. The messily wrapped gifts, where they’d been torn and taped back together belonged to Equius or Horrus, or maybe Dave. He couldn’t exactly tell. He turned a little and chuckled. All of Jane’s and Roxy’s gifts to the others were bright blue or had little cats on them, and John’s were all bright, near neon, eyesore patterns.

Damara’s were, as always, stuck in a bag with some tissue paper and wrapped with a ribbon at the handles in a neat, tight bow. Rufioh had gone with black matte paper and had figured out a catchphrase for each intended recipient, instead of their name, and written it in bright copper, and Kurloz had to admit that it was pretty clever. Terezi’s were an explosion of color, and he was fairly certain that there was a little bit of saliva at the edges of some of her gifts, while Latula’s were neat enough to rival Kanaya’s. Kanrki’s were messy, but he seemed to have tried to make the wrapping a little neater before he inevitably lost patience with how many he had to wrap.

He chuckled to himself and shook his head. It was fun to try and pick out each and every troll and human’s style, but it would take him quite a while to get through them all. But, for all of them to open their gifts? It would take, at most, two hours. He went to sit down by the fire when he noticed Kaliri, Suimon, Makris, Mr. Egbert, Grandpa Harley, Silias, and Yihana carrying in a bunch of cushions, pillows, and blankets.

Then, he looked at the spacious living room and finally noticed how the table had been pushed to the far side and the armchair and second couch had been pushed further out to make more room. Kurloz knew from experience that there was enough room to fit everyone, they’d done it multiple times, but seeing the materials for piles being brought in was always a little jarring. There were a lot of bodies all at once in one space, and while it was mostly comforting to be with all of them, it could also be unbearably suffocating. Nailia, Kerron, Kaliri, Cami, Silias and Makris started to spread it all out, making a nest of sorts on the floor where everyone could sit down and relax. Duncan moved to get up and help but Kaliri gave him a raised eyebrow and put his hands on his hips as Nana Egbert chuckled and patted his arm.  
  
“Sit a little longer, dearie. You were telling me a joke, weren’t you?”  
  
Duncan laid his head back and huffed out a sigh but said,  
  
“Did ya know there’s a special type of bird that holds everythin together?”  
  
“No, I did not,” Nana said with a growing smile that said she knew exactly what the pun was but was enjoying it nonetheless.  
  
“It’s called a _Vel_ crow,” he said, giving weak finger guns to the ceiling and chuckling. Nana, however, burst into laughter.  
  
“Ohohohohehehehe!! I haven’t heard that one in quite some time!”  
  
Duncan smiled and relaxed into the couch, his leg stretched out on the long L-shape. He looked more content, now that he’d put his leg up and was resting. Nalia plopped down on the other side of Nana, squishing him a little into the arm, but he didn’t seem to care. Kaliri finished his part of the massive nest and settled on the couch, tugging Duncan into his lap with some protest from the other man. After a moment, and a few kisses along his nape, Duncan huffed and wriggled to get comfortable.  Kurloz smiled faintly and sat down on the floor, near the fireplace as an excited voice suddenly yelled,  
  
“Turn on the TV!!! Travel channel on Demand!!”  
  
Kaliri, who was pressing kisses along Duncan’s neck and slowly turning the human into a pile of mush, pulled away to look at the younger professor. He blinked a few times and tried to think of anything.  
  
“Uhm?” Was all he could say.  
  
Jade’s hair was covered in snow melt, though she’d stripped out of her wet outer layers. She was wearing dry jeans, no socks, and a bright red sweater, her green eyes popping even more. Cronus was struggling to get out of his own layers, swearing up and down as someone else was blocking the way.  
  
“Just do it!” She demanded, grinning like a wild woman.  
  
She ran for the kitchen, apparently intent on getting Rosa into the family room with everyone else. Roxy appeared, carrying two trays of food, Mituna and Aranea a few steps behind her, carrying more food and plates. The rest of the group that’d been outside stumbled inside in one large, disorganized group, stripping out of their wet outer layers, and those that had brought extra clothes or would be able to borrow from those that did went to change. Jade ran back into the living room, a slightly bewildered Rosa behind her, and she jumped over the back of the second couch, jumping on the cushions, then landing on the floor. She didn’t even pause, simply grabbing the remote and pulling up the On Demand options.  
  
“It’s free, don’t worry about it. But, it’s been released, I got the call a few minutes ago from Henry, and it’s just-It’s gold. You have to watch it,”  
  
Everyone shared confused looks but settled in. Amaria somehow came down before the younger trolls and humans, and cuddled her matesprits, kissing Duncan’s jaw and neck before pulling him over to properly kiss his lips. Silias wolf whistled and laughed, dodging a pillow Kaliri threw at him. Mituna caught it and then sat next to Kurloz, chuckling. Roxy took the armchair, laying down so her legs were over one arm, the other propping her back up. She looked almost as excited as Jade, like she knew what was going to happen.  
  
In short order, the others came downstairs and found their places in the living room, either on one of the couches or on the floor in the nest of pillows and blankets. Kurloz shifted and put his arm around Mituna’s shoulders. Only, his moirail seemed to have much broader shoulders than he remembered, and was much, much warmer than he realized. He turned and was met with Cronus’ wide slate grey eyes. He blinked stupidly, staring back, wondering distantly when Mituna had left.

‘ _His eyes are a little blue, I hadn’t noticed that before…_ ’ he thought absently, almost leaning in closer. ‘ _He smells like peppermint, charcoal, and holly. And his hair’s not greased… It looks better,_ ’ was the second thing he noticed.  
  
“Uh, hey there chief,” Cronus mumbled, a bright red blush burning on his cheeks and at the tips of his ears. “You a’right there?”  
  
Kurloz blinked and pulled away, settling himself a little better. “I’m fine, brother. You don’t mind my arm, do you?”  
  
“No-No… It’s… Nice,” Cronus said, smiling a little.  
  
“Everyone here? Good!” Jade chirped, cutting off Kurloz’s response. He turned his attention back to the TV. “This,” she pointed at a paused picture on the screen, which just showed miles of jungle canopy. “Is Peru. Cro and I went and stayed there for six months, having recently gotten back at the start of this semester.” she grinned wickedly. “Henry was asked if we could show the site on tv for an archeology show, like the kind on Travel and History. And you’ll never guess who’s in it,”  
  
“I’m going to assume from your tone that it’s you and Clownfish?” Meenah drawled from her spot.  
  
“You’d be right!” Jade grinned. “Let’s play, shall we?”  
  
“Oh, cod, no,” Cronus groaned, burying his face in his hands.

The introduction panned to a rust blood woman, her dreadlocks tamed into place with a bandana and her eyes bright with the light of excitement. She wore a coffee bean brown leather hat, which was beaten and obviously well worn, a khaki safari shirt, grey trousers and tall black hiking boots. She was walking backwards in a museum.  
  
“Hello and welcome to The Adventurer’s Last Expedition! Today, we’re starting in The Museo Nacional de Arqueología Antropología e Historia del Perú, or The National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru, Lima. Then, we’re going to be heading deep into the Cusco region, not exploring Machu Picchu like you’d expect, but a newer site that is just begun to unfold it’s secrets,” her eyes were shining and the smile on her face could be described as gleefully manic.  
  
Araida bit back a squeal of joy and bounced up and down a little, and even Dave, Aranea, Jane, Eridan, and Feferi looked excited.  
  
“Oh my gods!! You two met _the Tiyuan Veriani?!_ ” Aradia screeched over the troll on screen. She seemed to be talking to the curator about the ruins that had been unearthed, or maybe the history. Kurloz wasn’t sure. He was less distracted by the noise and more by the fact that Cronus seemed to be curling more into his side, like he was trying not to die from embarrassment.  
  
“Yuh-huh!” Jade grinned, turning to face them. “Kaliri’s met her too, she interviewed him for a piece a while back when he was writing that paper on troll history in the region.”  
  
“Question, at risk of sounding like an idiot, but who the fuck cares?” Silias asked, raising his hand boredly.  
  
“ _Who cares?_ I did not just hear you say that,” Kaliri said, looking over at his moirail. “Tiyuan is one of the most accomplished rust bloods in her field of archeology.”  
  
“Not only that, but she’s basically Indiana Jones!!” Aradia practically squeed, eyes shining bright in her excitement, before adding calmer, “Only, without the gunfights, nazis, and stealing ancient artifacts to put them in a museum.”

“What was she like? Was she cool?” Dave asked, looking excited. Rose smiled a little at her brother’s excitement and Jade nodded.  
  
“She was awesome! She really liked to learn about the site and the history of the area. We’d been there for almost three months at the time, and Cronus and I had finally started to get along. Anyways, things were going kinda slow until she showed up because, well,” she trailed off. The expression on her face was almost exactly like John or Jane’s when they got a particularly elaborate prank in mind. “Just watch,”  
  
“What do you,” Feferi started to ask but Jade made a loud, “ssshhehehshshhh!!!” noise and Feferi giggled, but stopped talking.  
  
On the screen, Tiyuan was walking around a large clearing with Jade. The jungle was thinner in that area, and a little off screen, a tent with a bunch of equipment could be seen, though not in enough detail for Kurloz to know what it was, even if he understood what it all was for. The pair was walking towards a section of unearthed temple, the grey stone weathered and beaten, but the only signs of growth were the vines and roots from the nearby tree’s that towered over them. In the distance, if he concentrated, he could see a slight dip in the ground, off to the side of the clearing. But, the camera person swung back to the two women.  
  
“This is a piece of a stone tablet that we found,” Jade was saying, carefully turning over a piece of rock. It was a little bigger than her forearm, with words chiseled into the stone, but it wasn’t Beforian, from what he could tell. “From the rubbings we’ve taken of it, it seems to be a mix of Beforian and Incan, which we believe means that there was a mingling of culture even as far back as the Inca and Aztec empires, even though Trolls have been here, collectively, since the early 1700’s. We believe that this came from a vanguard-”

“CRONUS!!” A voice cut her off. The bellow came from someone of a high blood caste, since Kurloz knew very few low and mid bloods that could make a noise loud enough to shake leaves on trees and startle birds and nearby creatures into scattering.  
  
Jade, the one on screen, set down the artifact and rushed towards the noise. Kurloz noticed, absently, that her hair had been kept in a messy bun-braid and held back by a green bandana, a machete or some kind of long blade strapped to her back, and that she wore black boots, and oddly enough, shorts instead of pants like he’d expected, and a dark blue shirt that had a few tears in it at the bottom and sleeves that would need to be sewn shut. Tiyuan and her crew followed a beat later, but they were a few steps behind the Polynesian woman, who jumped over a log like it was barely there, and lead them out of the clearing and onto a well cleared path through the foliage.  
  
“We have no idea what’s just happened, but it seems one of the students on this dig has gotten into some kind of trouble. I can only hope he’s alright. Like I said earlier, this jungle is full of more than one type of venomous animal and insect, and more than a few rouge lussi have been known to wander, though they are unbothered by the local villages and indigenous people’s unless they are stricken with grief or rage, though they tend to avoid populations,”  
  
How the rust blood managed to say all that and not sound of breath was fairly impressive, Kurloz would admit.  
  
“She is extremely strong-” Equius started but frowned when Jade turned and glared at him. He opened his mouth to say something but Gamzee gave him a prod with his elbow and Nepeta, who was sprawled in his lap, gently papped his cheek until he deflated and relaxed once more.  

When everyone turned their attention back to the tv, Jade and Tiyuan had reached a well built purple blood, who was kneeling at the edge of a ravine, looking down.

“He was right here, and then he jus’ up and slipped! He fell down there, I can’t see ‘im!” the purple had curving, arched horns, not quite tall enough to mean they were more than ten or eleven sweeps. They were slighter than Kurloz had seen before, shorter too. Jade came up to their chin when they stood up properly.  
  
“It’s okay, I’ll radio the crew, we’ll get some rope and get down there. Cronus!!” she yelled, looking down the dark ravine. It was slanted and had a few bushes and rocks, but the most prominent marker was the large path cut from Cronus rolling downhill. There was faint light hitting the bottom, but then it went dark, like it was being sucked into a cave. Stirring at the base of the ravine was Cronus, who groaned and then managed to push himself up.  
  
“I’m good! Nothin broken, that I can feel.” he groaned lowly and a light flickered. “Flashlight still vworks! There’s something down here, like… A cave?” there was the sound of shuffling and breaking branches and rustling. “Fuck-ow, ankle may be sprained actually!” he called up.  
  
“Can you put weight on it?” Tiyuan called back, looking worried. Her brows were drawn close together and she looked like she was seconds from sliding down the ravine, if Jade didn’t beat her too it first.  
  
A moment passed, then, “Yeah! Just hurt’s like a bi-A lot.” he censored himself and Kurloz chuckled. He could feel Cronus curling up even further into his side. The entire room was shockingly silent as the show continued.  
  
The Cronus on screen shone his flashlight around, showing where he was, before the figure and light turned towards the dark spot in the side of the ravine, moving unsteadily closer. “I don’t think this is a cave,” he called up, sounding confused but interested. “This…” he cut himself off, sticking his head into the cave.  
  
“Cronus?! Cronus, don’t you dare move from that spot!!” Jade yelled, unstrapping her machete from her back. The sound of footsteps and voices meant more people were coming, finally. Jade didn’t seem to care, though. She looked seconds from sliding down to the ravine herself.  
  
“Holy… Holy _shit!!_ JADE!!!” he screamed, his voice echoing. But, instead of terror, it was giddy excitement. “JADE!! TIYUAN!! Get down here!! Holy _fuck!_ ”

The scene cut to the group setting up a safety rope and a rappel rope for Jade, since the ravine was steep and difficult to get a proper grip. She moved down it like the ravine were stairs, her feet sure and steady. In no time, she was at the bottom, a go-pro attached to her shoulder. Tiyuan, with a smaller camera, followed her.   
  
“Oh my good gods,” she breathed, following Jade into the supposed cave. It wasn’t a cave but an entrance to the temple. The stone was sturdy and seemed to be almost untouched by the sands of time. It narrowed significantly up ahead, but Cronus could be seen with a small but powerful flashlight, running his fingers over the walls of the temple, muttering under his breath as his eyes flickering back and forth over the words.  
  
“This… This is the entrance to the burial grounds, or pits I assume,” Jade mumbled, looking shocked. “We… We found it! Cronus, you found it!”  
  
He didn’t even seem to recognize it, simply turned away from the wall and swept her into a hug, laugh ringing across the enclosed space. It was a little odd on the camera that Tiyuan had on her shoulder, but it was real and happy, not that fake, almost nasal laugh he would use when trying to keep up his greaser facade. He let go of Jade after a minute and then swept Tiyuan into a hug, laughing with her and Jade.  
  
The scene changed to Cronus being helped up the ravine by the purple blood, who practically hauled him up the side, while another rope was used to lower supplies needed to get to the entrance. Over top the edit came Tiyuan’s voice,  
  
“Over the next several days, the team will be working to uncover the secrets of this unknown entrance, and if this does connect to the ruins we saw above. If it does, it unlocks a whole new mystery and answers few questions while leaving many more. And if it doesn’t, it leaves us with more questions. Doctor Henry Gutierrez has explained that they will split their remaining time at the site here and at the already excavated site, to see what else can be found. Cronus, thankfully, was alright and wasn’t just riding an adrenaline high from having fallen down a fifty foot ravine. He suffered some bruising, a sprained ankle and several cyts, but he has been treated and will be off the dig for at least a week in order to heal and make sure no infections set into his scratches.”

They cut to a shot of Cronus, who waved from a cot in a bigger tent. He looked tired and bored, though a book was on the ground, looking like he’d just put it down. He wore a dark blue bandana around his neck, and his left ankle had been wrapped up tight. An older woman was sitting on a stool next to him, opening a medkit and pulling out a set of pills and handing him a canteen. Tiyuan was perched on another empty cot just across from him.  
  
“Doctor Perez is giving you some Advil to help with your ankle right?”  
  
Cronus nodded and knocked the pills back, then chased them with some water. “Yeah,” he sounded better, at least, but Kurloz could tell he was putting on that damn fake Brooklyn-Jersey accent again, and it clashed against his Yat-Creole accent. It made him want to cringe and grind his teeth together. “Thankfully, nothin’s broken and I didn’t get concussed,” he chuckled weakly.

“I’ll be watching over him for the next few days, maybe the next week, depending on how fast he heals,” Doctor Perez said. Her voice was rough, but sweet, and her English was heavily accented though fluent. “He has a pretty nasty sprain, and I will be looking for any signs of fever or infection, even though he and everyone else were vaccinated before they were allowed to come on this dig, one never knows. The Amazon is full of mystery, misery and life,” she said it so cheerfully, like it was nothing more than a discussion on the humidity. Cronus, on screen at least, didn’t look bothered at all, and laughed.  
  
“Awww, doc. I’ll be a’ight. Got a book to finish, and company. I'm lucky I didn't break anythin' and rolled with my arms round my face and neck. I just hope Jade doesn’t go nuts vwith the new ruins.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’ll have to return to the site, but I wanted to be sure that you were okay, Cronus. Glad to see you are,” Tiyuan smiled and patted his good foot. The Cronus on screen laughed and waved.  
  
“I’ll be fine, no need to vworry bout me,”

Tiyuan laughed and waved to the pair, but left. The rest of the episode carried on, but the room exploded into noise. Cronus just shrank into Kurloz’s side as the noise grew and he didn’t think twice about pulling him into his side and tucking the short human there. Some people started yelling to be heard over the others, but slowly, people and trolls alike calmed down and managed to get some form of order back into the room. Kurloz didn’t really pay attention to what was being said, instead choosing to focus on the warmth that was radiating off of Cronus and into his side. It wasn’t like sitting next to Kankri, who radiated heat like a sun wrapped in flesh and bone. It felt more like a patch of sun warming a part of him from the window, slinking slowly through the rest of his body, reaching each muscle as it traveled.

‘ _Fuck me… I’m waxing poetic about him now.'_  he almost groaned aloud and caught himself just in time. He managed to huff quietly, resting his chin on Cronus’ head.  
  
Cronus, he barely noticed, curled into his side further and sighed, practically on his lap. He just shifted a little to make the smaller man more comfortable and tightened his hold. He didn’t notice the stares that others were giving them, the intense, furtive lo oks they were giving each other over his head. Sollux looked particularly smug and Jane was giggling loud enough to make anyone suspicious if it weren’t Jane. She found humor in almost any situation, so most would have just attributed it to a joke or prank she’d thought of. Kurloz looked around the rest of the room but the occupants had begun to disperse, chattering amongst themselves but with the noise level far lower this time around. He looked at the tv but it had been turned off, probably by Jade or Kanaya. He settled into the portion of the floor he’d claimed and just looked at Cronus. He was interesting to watch, and if Kurloz were honest with himself, beautiful. The way he shifted around every now and then, like he was trying to get comfortable without drawing attention to it. He was nodding off, it seemed, or was so relaxed he’d completely forgotten where he was.  
  
‘ _Does he trust me that much?_ ’ came the thought. ‘ _He’s fallen asleep on me before, thrice now._ ’ Something warm pressed at his pusher and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. ‘ _T_ _hink, Kurloz. He said he thought we were friends, which, I guess we are. He’s explained things to me that he could have kept private and could have just made up excuses, but he decided to let me in. He’s fallen asleep on me three fucking times. I’ve fallen asleep with him ON my lap twice… Fuck, I feel like I’m overthinking everything._ ’  
  
“Kurloz, are you purring?” someone above him whispered and he tilted his head back to see Jade, the woman slowly grinning.  
  
He just raised his eyebrow and stared at her blankly, unamused. She just laughed, poking him on the nose. It was such a shock that she didn’t care about how he might have reacted that all he could do was look at her, dumbfounded. Jade stuck out her tongue and turned back to her conversation with Dave. He looked at Cronus, who was chuckling, one eye open and watching him.  
  
“Ya get used to her,” he said, still chuckling.  
  
“You weren’t as asleep as I thought,” Kurloz said unthinkingly, and Cronus’ mouth twitched upward a little more into a lopsided smile and he shrugged.  
  
“Course I vwasn’t. You’re unfairly comfortable. And a nice noise blocker,” he added, looking over his shoulder at the rest of the group, who were passing around plates of food. Kurloz just huffed and gently shoved at him with his shoulder, but Cronus seemed unbothered. Jade passed them each a plate of food, which consisted of eggs, cinnabuns, bacon and grits.  
  
“Here you two love birds go,” she teased, laughing when Cronus blushed and Kurloz’s ears went purple.  
  
“Fuck off, Vwild woman,” he muttered and Jade stuck out of her tongue once more.  
  
“You’re no fun, Cro.” and before he could retort, she was off, heading over to Nepeta to talk to her.  
  
“I will literally never understand how she thinks,” Cronus said around a piece of bacon. Kurloz just hummed, preoccupied with devouring his own cinnabun, which was a light lilac. He made a mental note to thank Rosa for remembering. He was just licking the icing off his fingers when he felt Cronus poke him in the shoulder.  
  
“Vwhy was your bun purple?”

 _I thought you knew all about trolls?_ He signed and Cronus rolled his eyes.  
  
“Not everything, asshole. I vwas curious, sorry for askin a question.”

Kurloz’s smirk dropped and he felt a little guilty. He tapped Cronus’ shoulder after a few minutes and the human gave him a sour look. Or, maybe it was more like pouting.  
  
_It’s purple because it’s gluten-free. Rosa made them, or your dad. I don’t know which. But, I asked so no one would eat them. Anyone Cerulean and above usually have issues digesting gluten because we weren’t bred for breaking it down, basically. It acts like humans with Celiac disease, I guess is pretty close. Our bodies attack it and make it very uncomfortable to move, or can even make us sick, depending on how much we eat. But, I’m fairly certain that’s only in extreme cases. The purple_ _cinnabuns_ _are made with oats and almond flour, which are pretty fucking tasty._

Cronus nodded slowly, absorbing all the information. “Huh… Okay, that vwasn’t something I actually knew. Then again, most of the trolls I hang out with are mid blood and lower, with the exception of Rezi, Aranea, maybe Vriska, Tula, Gam, Horrus, Equius, and you. Do teal’s have the same intolerance or is Rezi just eatin that bun ‘cause she thinks it’s interestin?” He looked less annoyed now and more thoughtful.  
  
_I think either is a fair assumption._ Kurloz signed after a moment, watching the blind troll lick the bun then chow down on it. _Some_ _Teals_ _have the intolerance, and occasionally_ _Jades_ _if they’ve spent a large chunk of their life in the caverns. Less contact with gluten products from what Porrim’s said, so she’s sensitive to it, so’s Kanaya. But they’re both fine as long as they don’t eat a lot of it._  
  
“Huh.” was all Cronus said in response. “Good to know then. I’ll make sure to look up some gluten-free recipes for the next time you’re over.”

Kurloz grinned a little. _I look forward to trying your cooking again, then. The pizza was pretty good, but I always liked home cooking. Not too good at it though._

Cronus made a soft, considering noise. “I mean, I’m already teaching Dave how to cook so he doesn’t burn down the apartment and he and Dirk don’t starve from lack of proper nutrition. I could teach you too. Ain’t a big deal, chief.”

 _If you want._ Three simple words that he wasn’t sure he could have said aloud nearly as casually as he would have liked. It was a little ridiculous. The way Cronus smiled then, slow and happy, made him want to punch the air. Instead he added, _You’re a good friend. Thank you._  
  
Cronus went a little pink and shrugged, his smile turning bashful. It was adorable. “Ain’t no thing, chief. Just tryin’ to keep my friend’s from dyin’ of hunger.”

He chuckled and gently nudged the human, who nudged him back, still smiling a little bashfully. The rest of the morning was fairly hectic, but in a controlled chaos way. The plates were cleared and dishes done, and the fire was stoked up higher. Some poked fun at Cronus for falling down a ravine after he explained _how_ that happened in the first place. According to him, he’d been talking to the Purple blood, a troll who went by the name of Porian, and hadn’t been looking where he was stepping. One moment he was walking beside the troll, the next thing, he was tumbling head over heels down the ravine and thankful he hadn’t broken his neck. Dave, Aradia, Aranea, Eridan, and surprisingly, Feferi, grilled him and Jade on what they’d found in the temple. Kurloz spaced out when they started to describe complicated murals and rituals, mixing cultures and ideas. He could almost see it in his mind’s eye and Cronus looking so animated and alive was something a hundred times more interesting than any new archeological discovery. His eyes lit up and his hands started moving, gesturing as he spoke. He had a huge smile on his face as he spoke, words practically tumbling and falling over themselves like any slower and they’d be cut off.

Slowly, the group decided it was time to open up gifts and Kurloz lost track of who got what. It was a mix of joke gifts that were then replaced with the real gift, squeals of delight from more than one person, and only a few from Nepeta. Slowly, each person had a rather sizable pile of gifts near them, eyeing their hauls like a treasure that would be taken from them. Or, at least Vriska and Meenah were. Feferi was already sprawled with Eridan on their section of the floor, reading their new books, and Duncan was being smothered with affection from Kaliri and Amaria, the pair of them completely uncaring of who saw them. Karkat and Dave were cuddled up in the corner of the couch, talking quietly together and smiling, looking high on love. Dirk, on the other hand, was trying to talk to Jake, looking awkward as could be while trying to maintain his cool facade, which shattered when Jake kissed his cheek. He looked up and there was Meulin, looking sly, with a bunch of mistletoe in her hand.  
  
“Merry Twelfth Perigree,” she sang, giggling, before skipping away.  
  
Jake looked at Dirk and blushed profusely, stammering something that was lost in the swell of voices. Dirk looked a little shell shocked, and nodded. They shared a shaky smile and tried to hide their blushes, but it didn’t really work. Paper was picked up and things were slowly reorganized, put back together but the noise kept climbing. Kurloz’s ears were ringing by the time it was lunch. He watched Cronus quietly smile and give a nod to Kankri before he disappeared. He grabbed his new sketchbook and pens and followed him. If only to find some place quiet. He missed the looks everyone shot each other and how Sollux snickered to himself, looking smug. He didn’t hear the psionic say,  
  
“Gonna have to pay up, bitcheth.”  
  
Nor did he see Karkat smack his friend with a pillow, but he did hear the distant ring of laughter and someone telling them to get outside if they were going to rough house. He shook his head, amused, and went back to trying to find Cronus. Despite the fact the house wasn’t excessively large, it still took Kurloz a few minutes to find him. He was in Kankri’s room, sitting at the bay window and staring outside. His back was flush against the first pane, his knees pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped around his thighs, tucked up underneath his knees. Kurloz watched as he shifted a bit, laying his head down on his knee and letting out a long, soft breath as his toes curled and uncurled in his new knit socks. They were dark purple, almost violet. The snow was falling slowly outside the window, piling up on the ledge bit by bit. The bed, still relatively neat, had been mussed from where Cronus had stepped on it to get to the window. He looked like a living painting, quiet and serene and enjoying the silence. It made the knot in his pusher tense and untense, unsure if it should burst or implode from the sheer amount of emotion.  
  
Kurloz gently knocked on the door frame, though he loathed to disturb the peace Cronus obviously had. His head shot up and his shoulders tensed for a moment before he blinked and gave a small smile.  
  
“Heya, chief. Vwhere ya at?”  
  
“Alright,” he said with a shrug, not entering the room yet. “Starting to get a headache from the noise, so followed your lead.”

“More like followed me,” Cronus retorted, but there was no heat in his words. He looked happy to see Kurloz, just a little surprised. He uncurled and asked, a little awkward, “You gonna come in or not, Kurloz?”  
  
It took him a minute to respond, and then let out a slow breath. “I… Wasn’t sure if you would want me to join you or not.” he admitted and Cronus stared at him in surprise.  
  
“VWell, if anyone was gonna find me, I’m pretty happy it’s you. Eri and Kanny mean well, but it’s just…” he closed his eyes. A lot. Too much. Exhausting. Too many people. Even his moirail was overwhelming and it made him sick to feel that way.

“Too fucking much?” Kurloz suggested, voice low and soothing. Cronus nodded.

He opened his eyes and watched Kurloz come into the warm room, his footsteps making a little noise as he moved. It wasn’t much, and it sounded like he was forcing more weight onto his feet with each step than walking louder. It sounded awkward and Kurloz’s brow was slightly scrunched, in what Cronus guess to be concentration.

‘ _Why the hell would he be concentrating on his feet? He normally doesn’t make a- Oh my god._ ’ the realization hit him like a bull slamming into a wooden fence and splintering it. ‘ _He’s making noise for me._ ’ It made him smile and the uncomfortable knot that had been tying itself in the base of his spine unraveled. He never thought he’d see the day when Kurloz Makara made noise to let him know where he was, but it made him warm from the inside out.  
  
“What’d you bring?” he asked, breaking the silence as Kurloz sat on Kankri’s bed, long legs folding gracefully underneath of him.

“Paper and pens.”  
  
“I thought you were a photography major,” Cronus said, head tilting to the side.  
  
_I was,_ Kurloz signed, setting down his things. _Technically, I was a studio art major. I got my BFA. So I had to take drawing classes as well as photography and art history. Came in handy._

“Oh. Huh.”  
  
That shouldn’t have been surprising, but it was, just a little bit. It was like he was peeling back another layer of the enigmatic troll. He watched Kurloz settled against the headboard, sketchbook propped up on his knees and began to draw. Cronus couldn’t see what he was drawing, but the angle was starting to make his neck hurt so he gave up and laid his head back down. Peaceful minutes slipped by, uncounted and unbothered by either man.  
  
“VWhat did ya mean, it came in handy?” Cronus asked suddenly.  
  
Kurloz didn’t look up from his drawing as he said, “I’ve drawn some of our friend’s tattoos, as well as done commissions for them online when I had to pay bills, before we opened the shop. It was interesting. Most who commissioned me wanted something painfully generic. Our friends, however, usually wanted something more complicated. Porrim helped me occasionally.”

“Damara drew my first tattoo. I got it a few days ago.”   
“What is it?” Kurloz sounded curious and when Cronus looked up, he was staring at him, head cocked to the side. He almost looked like a bird, or a puppy. A very large, dangerous puppy.

Cronus smiled and tugged his sweater off and pushed up his short sleeve to show it off in its entirety. It was a fairly simple tattoo, but very elegant in its design. On his shoulder was a compass rose with rope woven around it, wrapping around his bicep and shoulder, with some color popping here and there, notably in the rainbow. Damara had meant it as a joke, but he liked the idea of having a subtle pride flag on him somewhere. The compass had the colors of the bisexual flag in it, which he found just a little bit amusing. Cronus watched Kurloz, how expression softened as he studied the tattoo, eyes tracing the black lines, picking out the faint colors that burst here and there. It was graceful and simple, and had already started to heal, though the skin was still a little tender. Kurloz lifted his hand, then put it down again, looking a little awkward. His eyes finally left the tattoo and met Cronus’.  
  
“What’s it mean?”  
  
“The compass rose is a reminder to have my bearings and the rope grounds me. Something that keeps me here and not off in my own head. And to remind me that I can anchor myself and trust others enough to tie myself to them,” his voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

It felt like any louder and it would shatter whatever mood had settled over them. His heart was skipping beats and his stomach was tying itself in knots. He wanted Kurloz to trace the lines with his fingers, to find the scars they hid. He wondered if Kurloz would ask who put them there, and if he could bring himself to tell the other the truth. As it was, Kurloz slowly traced his fingers down Cronus’ arm, not touching, but just barely. He stopped when he spotted the long thin mark on the inside of his arm, rich purple eyes flicking to the other arm and spotting its twin. His eyes didn’t widen, and he didn’t ask.  
  
“Can I draw on you?” he asked instead and Cronus stared at him stupidly, blinking a few times. Kurloz continued, “I want to draw a tattoo on you and I want to see how it would look on you, not just on paper.”  
  
“You ask every person ya draw tattoo’s for to draw on em?” Cronus asked and Kurloz nodded.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Vwell, aren’t you straight forward today,”  
  
“Straightest thing about me,” Kurloz stated in deadpan and it took Cronus a minute before he blushed.  
  
“You’re an asshole,” he grumbled, crossing his arms. Trust Kurloz to bring up the first time they ever had an actual conversation through text and he accidentally outed himself to the other.  
  
Kurloz chuckled, eyes flashing with amusement. There were laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and one of his cheeks had a dimple. His lips pulled up slightly, showing off a hint of sharp teeth and it shouldn’t be as adorable as it was. Cronus put a halt to that train of thought immediately and barely restrained himself from shaking his head. They just started to be friends, and as unfairly attractive as he was, Cronus didn’t want to just fuck him and leave it at that, or even start up a fuck buddy relationship, however much a part of him would love to finally get off without the use of his hand. Though, even that hadn’t been very often. He could barely think straight around Kurloz, his emotions were a jumbled up mess any time he tried to sort them out. It wasn’t just a case of lust that could be fixed with fucking him, or someone else in this case, and then moving on. It was deeper, tangled with feelings he didn’t completely think were there. There was no way he could feel them. It wasn’t for him. A part of him that had been shoved down and broken wanted to try. He mercilessly shut it out once more.

“Ya got a place you vwanna draw it? Gonna tell ya now, I ain’t takin off my pants, not until the third date. I’m a classy southern belle, I’ll have you know.” he managed to keep his voice steady and lifted his chin a bit, mockingly haughty.  
  
Kurloz chuckled and Cronus ignored how that made his stomach flip and switch places with his heart as his heart melted a bit.  
  
“Would you mind if I drew it on your ribs?”

He thought about it for a minute, rubbing at his sides slowly before he muttered,   
  
“Fuck it,” and stripped off his shirt before he could think twice about it. He set it on top of a pile of books next to him and crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a little self conscious, not to mention chilled from being at the window. His ribs had more than a few thin, white scars, all the way down to his hips. Some were longer than others, a few were deeper and had healed with ugly reminders. He watched Kurloz’s eyes trace over his well defined chest and torso, his abs and wide, sharp hip bones. He was almost completely muscle, formed from long hours swimming and running, the motions helping him leave everything in his head behind. Finally, he looked away and cleared a space for Cronus to lay down.  
  
“Lay down on your side, ribs up,” he instructed, shifting towards the edge.  
  
Cronus slid down from the window and stretched out as he was told, unsure where to put his arms. Kurloz waited, patient, for him to sort himself out and in the end, Cronus dragged a pillow to his head and stuck his left arm underneath it and his right arm over top. It blocked his view of his ribs unless he strained his neck to look but he could see Kurloz and that would suffice.

‘ _I doubt he’d draw dicks all over my ribs,_ ’ he thought, twitching a little when he felt the cool press of Kurloz’s hand against his side.  
  
“This okay, brother?” Kurloz asked softly and Cronus took a slow breath, feeling the gentle weight of his hand rise and fall as he did.  
  
“Yeah. Just, vwasn’t expecting that kind of temperature change. Probably should’ve, given your blood color,”

Kurloz snickered. “Just lie still, brother. I won’t do anything weird to you.”  
  
Cronus huffed out a breath but stilled and closed his eyes, focusing instead on the sensation of the pens pulling and dragging at his skin and the cool touch of slender fingers against his ribs and back. The pens changed from round and firm to a brush, strokes controlled and steady. He’d half way expected to feel a hesitation against his skin, starting and stopping as he found the pattern he liked. But Kurloz seemed to have an idea already in his mind. There was the faint sound of loud voices from downstairs drifting towards them, through the crack in the closed door but it wasn’t distracting. Cronus felt his body relaxing further into the bed, feeling at ease with Kurloz methodically drawing on him, uncalloused fingers running over his skin just firm enough to not be ticklish. It felt intimate in a way that didn’t have a proper descriptor.  
  
“Can I ask you a question?” Kurloz murmured.  
  
Cronus opened one eye and saw Kurloz bent over his side, pen barely pressing into his side as he stared back. His other hand was thoughtlessly tracing some pattern only he could see, but it was grounding, soothing even.  
  
“Shoot,”

“What happened that you want to cover all them up?”  
  
That caught him off guard and he closed his eye again, sighing heavily. Well, wasn’t that a question. Normally, he would have told someone to fuck off, unless it was Kankri, or maybe one of the StriLaLonde’s.

‘ _Well, that’s not entirely true. Most of our friend group I would have told off, or just lie to… Pops, Dad, Mom… Rosa, maybe, I would tell the truth. What about Kurloz?_ ’  
  
He thought back to the conversations they’d already had. It felt wrong to keep him in the dark, for some reason. He wanted Kurloz to know. His instincts weren’t wrong when it came to people, and he could feel an unexplainable tug towards Kurloz, almost like what he felt towards Kankri. Letting out a long sigh, he explained,  
  
“Most of those I gave to myself,” he felt Kurloz’s hand, the one not holding the pen, twitch. Either he realized what he’d been doing along Cronus’ back or he was restraining himself from reacting further, Cronus wasn’t sure. But he continued before he lost his nerve. “The were times that she beat me til I bled, broke a rib once, I think. Had to go to the hospital, said I fell off my bike. But the long thin ones were when I was desperate to be in control of myself, to control what I felt instead of my head.” he snorted, ribs shifting. He felt Kurloz move the pen away. “I was a really stupid kid. The cutting didn’t stop when we got out. Or, I guess it did, for a vwhile. Went on meds, saw a doc, started to feel get better. I stopped.”  
  
Kurloz made a soft noise and silence fell. The pressure didn’t return to his ribs, but he could feel the faint, slightly tickling sensation of Kurloz’s fingers ghosting over his skin. Then,  
  
“When I lost time, I’d find bruises and cuts on myself, all over my body. Or shattered glass in the halls. My ears would be ringing so much I was afraid I was going deaf. My lusus wasn’t much help, he wasn’t around often and our Dad… He tried. But he had the responsibility of politics and motherfuckers spitting bullshit about trolls. He took care of us, but it took a while for him to realize what was happening with me. I told you about the chucklevoodoo’s and how I had issues with volume control, haven’t I?”  
  
Cronus gave a mute nod.  
  
“Well, sometimes when I’d get into manic episodes, I’d lock myself in my room and forget that time existed. Once, I clawed my back because I thought it would get rid of the tension in my head.” he snorted. “Didn’t help. Old man came in and fucking found me clawing at my back and knocked me out real quick. He got me treated and had me explain why the fuck I thought it was a good idea to try that shit. I think that was the first time I’ve ever seen him afraid, actually.” his voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it filled the room. “I told him I could feel all the tension coiling from my head into my back, and I thought it would get it out. I was half fucking out of it, stuck between a good point, a manic crash and a start of a low. Soon as I was discharged, he stayed home more, kept an eye on me and Gamzee more. Got me in to see a shrink and they figured out I’m bi-polar and my manic episodes triggered the dark carnie in me.” he made a soft noise, like a chirp and a trill. It sounded bitter. “Side effect of having such powerful powers, apparently. You’re either manic all the time or lost in a dark carnie haze. Still have the scars I gave myself.”

Cronus craned his head and stared back at Kurloz, who was finally looking him in the eyes. “Well, at least we’re still here.”

Kurloz’s lips twitched upward. “Yeah, guess we are.” his fingers swept up and then back down, tracing over his back and ribs in slow, easy patterns that Cronus lost track of. “You didn’t answer my question though. Why’re you covering yours?” It wasn’t accusatory or demanding, just a kind of passive curiosity and Cronus felt that if he said nothing or that it wasn’t any of Kurloz’s business he’d leave it alone.  
  
“I want them to be covered with something beautiful, incorporated into art. I’ll know they’re still there, but it will be less a reminder of vwhat I did to myself and more a reminder that no matter how fucked up my head is, I can still heal. I can still make something of myself. And vwow, I just got sappy.”  
  
Kurloz laughed, the sound low and warm. “Maybe. But it’s a good sentiment. Now hold still. I have shit to finish.”

He leaned in closer so his face was just a few inches away from Cronus’ side, and he could feel each breath the other took. It was odd, feeling the slightly cooler breath along his side and the push and pull of his pen and the pressure from his fingers felt more intense. It was hard to keep a shudder from slithering all the way down his spine and he curled his hands into fists to try and curb the need. The air felt warmer, pressing closer around them but in a good way. His body felt like a live wire, and everything was tuned into Kurloz’s touch. He wanted to tell him to move his free hand from his back to where ever he wanted, to grope and feel as Cronus did the same to him, pull him close and never let go. He wanted to fuck up the drawing he’d been working so meticulously on and pull him close, find out what it would be like to taste his bulge, what he would look like. What he himself would sound like actually fucking, or getting fucked by, Kurloz. Distantly, he wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

‘ _Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck- Okay, nope. Not while he’s right here and inches from my dick. Oh god, please no. I will die of embarrassment-_ ’ he thought frantically. By some grace of a deity, Cronus managed to keep himself under control, though Kurloz stopped once more and asked, voice low and rumbling,  
  
“You alright, brother?”  
  
“Hmnmnn,” he mumbled, not trusting his voice to be entirely steady.  
  
“Want me to stop?”

“No, it feels nice,” he managed, opening an eye and meeting Kurloz’s gaze. The other looked disbelieving but nodded.  
  
“I’ll be another thirty minutes. Can you hold still that long?”  
  
“Yeah, no prob,” he yawned, relaxing again. “I usually sleep like this, so it ain’t really much different. More difficult not to fall asleep on ya,”

“You’ve done that already and I haven’t complained,” Kurloz mumbled, barely audible, but he went back to drawing. Cronus blushed from the tips of his ears to his neck and turned his head to hide in the pillow. It smelled like roses, flour, sugar, paper and something earthy. It smelled like Kankri. He took a few slow, deep breaths and the hurricane his thoughts had turned into slowed till they were just trickling by. He didn’t bother to pay attention to them and let himself drift in the sensations that were impossibly intimate and the grounding smell of his moirail.

The idle thought, ‘ _I think most humans would find it weird to have such a strong connection to a scent of another living being… I guess Aradia’s right. I really might be more troll than human,_ ’ made him giggle, faintly.

“Share a joke?” Kurloz asked and Cronus shook his head.  
  
“S’just a thought,” he mumbled, tongue thick and heavy in his mouth.  
  
“Alright, brother,” and with that, Kurloz went back to work. Another two hours could have passed and Cronus wouldn’t have been able to bring himself to care. Kurloz seemed just as content to continue running his hands over his ribs and back, tracing some pattern or another. It was easy, calming. Something loose and tight settled in next to his heart, like it wasn’t sure if it should explode and take his heart with it or eat its way inside and make a home there. Oddly, it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant feeling. Odd, yes. But not unpleasant.  
  
“You’re free to move, brother,” he heard and he grunted, opening his eyes.  
  
“Can you take a picture of it? Please?”  
  
The weight by his hip shifted and he could see Kurloz moving around a little as he got situated. There was weight at his hip as Kurloz held him still and the cool fingers felt like points of ice even through his jeans. Cronus was struck by a sudden need to take his hands and warm them up, even though he knew it wouldn’t work, not unless Kurloz stuck them by a fire for a long time. Highbloods were slow to let go of heat and slow to retain it, but when they were warm, they were, according to Nepeta, like hot water bottles. The heat seeped into every part of whatever or whoever they were with. The faint _clkclkclk_ of a cell phone camera pulled him from his thoughts and he sat up once the weight of Kurloz’s hand was gone.  
  
Kurloz didn’t even ask if he wanted to see, just turned the phone around and showed him. Cronus felt his breath catch. The drawing was beautiful, almost hauntingly so. It spanned almost his entire side, and was a section of skeletal ribcage with flowers and coral growing out of it, as well as a bit of kelp and a few bubbles floating up and around. It was almost entirely black and white aside from a few bursts of color in the flowers and coral. The flowers were “above water” and seemed to float without leaving the bones they’d been growing out of.  
  
“Send that to me, please,” he said once he could form words.  
  
Kurloz looked a little confused but did as asked. A moment later, Cronus felt his phone buzz from the text message. He grinned, feeling giddy and hugged the troll out of sheer impulse.  
  
“I love it, holy fuck. Thank you, Kurloz.”

Tentatively, Kurloz hugged him back, holding him and settling his chin on his head. “You’re welcome, Cronus,”

They stayed like that for a good few minutes, neither really wanting to let go for reasons neither could admit or say aloud. When they did finally pull away, Kurloz’s ear’s were tinted purple and Cronus looked flustered.  
  
“Right, okay. I’m gonna go show this to vwhoever is left and see when I can get it permanently done on my ribs,” he rubbed the back of his neck and grabbed his hoodie. With one last smile at Kurloz, he slipped out the room and downstairs.  
  
Kurloz sat there on the bed for a while, composing himself by methodically testing his pens on a fresh page of his sketchbook. When he felt like he wasn’t going to trip over his own feet or punch the air from excitement or be sick at the overwhelming emotions pulsing inside of his pusher that moment, he stood and calmly made his way downstairs.  
  
“Purrloz!” Meulin cried, pouncing on him easily.

He grunted but wrapped an arm around her waist as her arms latched around his shoulders and gave her a smile.  
  
“Hey there, wicked kitty sister. How’re you?”  
  
“I’m purrfect!” she purred, grinning like a cheshire cat. Oh no. “You, on the other paw,” she leaned in closer, pressing her cheek against his. “Are very much horns over heels, aren’t you?”  
  
He tried to growl a low warning but she just laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.  
  
“You’re purroving me right,” she sang before releasing him and disappearing.  
  
“Fuck,” he said, staring at the mistletoe above the door. Or, where there had been mistletoe. He quickly checked his pockets to be sure Meulin hadn’t slipped any onto him and let out a sigh when he couldn’t find any. He looked around one last time before he went to the kitchen to see if he could help with anything.  
  
The day wound down slowly from there. People moved in and out of the house, some bringing gifts out to cars, others playing out in the snow and coming back in when they got too cold. Everyone complimented Kurloz on his drawing on Cronus, some more blatantly than others. He just nodded and smiled his thanks, a little overwhelmed by it all. A few people tried to catch him and Cronus under the mistletoe, and after the fifth attempt, he simply snatched the annoying plant from its spot and tucked it into his pocket before he pressed a kiss to Cronus’ forehead for the briefest of moments. Then, he left, not looking behind to see how Cronus had reacted. Things simmered down after that.

Thankfully, Cronus had put his sweater back on or else he would have wound up staring at him the whole rest of the day. And while he may have been able to pass it off as making sure his work didn’t get destroyed or see if he had to touch anything up, he knew Meulin and Mituna would and could pick up that he’d have been ogling Cronus’ six pack. It was solid muscle, barley an ounce of fat anywhere on him and though Kurloz did like a little bit of squish to his partners, the feel of Cronus’ muscles were tempting. It had taken all his self control not to flat out lick him, like Terezi. Distantly, he worried he spent too much time in her company and if it were possible to adopt the habit of licking things to see what’d they’d be like.  
  
Near the end of the day, Kaliri reminded them all to return for the New Years Eve party, as if he didn’t hold one every year, and there was another low buzz of excitement building in the room. The New Years Eve parties were always fun, filled with alcohol, good food and more than a few new stories to add to someone’s repertoire. There was always something interesting happening at the parties, even though Kurloz preferred to stay away from the noise most of the time, he still had fun. Finally, people started to filter out of the house, calling good-byes and promises to return in the next few days. Kurloz wrapped an arm around Gamzee’s shoulder’s, walking with his brother out to their Jeep.  
  
“Don’t worry, bro.” Gamzee said suddenly, voice bright but drawling. “You’ll see Cro bro soon.”  
  
“I wasn’t worried about that,” he said, rolling his eyes.  
  
“Mnhm. A’ight, you aren’t worried. But you’re gonna miss him,” he said, like it was a fact. Kurloz hated that he might be right.  
  
“Shut up,” he grumbled and Gamzee laughed, honking every now and then.  
  
“Aww, bro!” he cooed, hugging him tight. Kurloz grunted. “You’ll be fine!”  
  
Kurloz shoved at him a little but not hard enough to actually try and get Gamzee off of him. As he drove them back home, he tried to get the idea of kissing Cronus out of his head.

_-_-_-_

The next few days were a blur of sleeping, tattoos, cleaning up and then preparing for yet another feast. The most exciting thing to happen in between the Perigree’s party and New Year’s Eve was that Eri finally told Duncan, Kaliri and Amaria about his feelings towards their gender. As Cronus had expected, they took is exceptionally well. Kaliri and Amaria let Duncan smother the young teen in a hug and fiercely remind them that he didn’t give a fuck what Eri felt, he still loved them. Kaliri and Amaria were quick to pile into the hug after that, each practically smothering them in love as they cried from sheer relief.

Cronus stood to the side and let the group work out what it all meant, smiling and content, though in a little bit of pain. He, Dave, Kankri and Karkat had gone to the tattoo parlor, him to get the actual tattoo and the other three as moral support. He hadn’t wanted to wait to get Kurloz’s tattoo and after a little finagling about rent with Dave and Dirk, who agreed within minutes, he’d gotten the beautiful tattoo. He still had to go back to finish it off because his tattoo artist wanted to save the color for the next session, as well as finishing the last of the more intricate details. But it was mostly complete and it felt good to have the artwork plastered across his side.  
  
Now, though, the large main room felt stifling. Far too many bodies were stuffed into one area, and even when he tried to escape to the outside porch or the kitchen, there were still trolls and humans. He knew every face there, but there was too much noise for him to concentrate on anything. He’d been stuck sitting on the couch for the last hour, slowly wiliting into himself from the noise level. It was making his ears ring and his head spin. Too much. It was all too much. He wanted to find Kankri and escape to the roof and sit out there for hours. A part of him itched for a cigarette and he ground his teeth together to keep from acting on that impulse. He kept a pack, unopened, in his bag, should he ever have an uncontrollable urge. And that urge was slowly bubbling up, like water in a tea kettle. His hands shook. Cronus wasn’t sure if it was from anxiety, being overwhelmed, or the growing need to smoke to let out some of his tension.  
  
“...nus?” he twitched at the sound of his name and focused. A skeleton stood in front of him. Or, a troll in a skeleton print hoodie and pants. Kurloz.  
  
“Yeah?” he asked, mentally high fiving himself when his voice didn’t shake.  
  
_You alright, brother? Where’s Kankri?_

 _No idea._ He signed back, fingers shaking horribly. He curled them into fists.

Kurloz frowned deeply and looked around before holding up his finger in the universal sign of, One minute. And then he disappeared. Cronus took a shaky breath and closed his eyes.  
  
‘ _One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine…_ ’

He got up to forty-five when Kurloz returned, though this time he had a thick wool bundle in his arms, and what looked to be an extra hoodie.  
  
“Let’s go upstairs,” he said, leaning close so he didn’t have to shout to be heard.

He stood and followed Kurloz out of the crowded living room and kitchen, then lead him upstairs to Kankri’s room, feeling the tension melt out of his shoulders.  
  
“Where to, brother?” he turned and looked at Kurloz, lips twitching upwards in a smile.  
  
“Up and out. There’s a little part of the roof that’s flat. VWe turned it into a little balcony, I guess, and we shoveled the snow off the roof so it’ll be snow free and dry.”

He clambered up and over Kankri’s bed and opened the window, then slipped outside and made his way across the flatter part of the roof towards the next window and hauled himself up, settling on the reinforced section. It was large enough for at least four people to sit comfortably on it, and had a little overhang from the roof over top that it would be shielded from any of the elements. He was pleased to see not a cloud in the sky, though, and shivered a little at the cold, but it wasn’t unbearable yet. He looked over his shoulder and watched Kurloz maneuver himself out the window and onto the roof, his long limbs graceful even when weighed down by a large wool bundle and whatever else he’d picked up from the room.

“Need a hand?” Cronus asked, crouching at the edge of the roof.

Kurloz shook his head and set the bundle down next to him. He grabbed it and moved away to let Kurloz up, then looked at what he’d brought. Two wool blankets, an extra hoodie, and a bottle of sparkling apple cider. He couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of his throat, holding the bottle up.   
  
“Holy fuck, chief. Dave’s gonna kill ya for takin his favorite drink.”

Kurloz snickered. “He’ll have to catch me first.”

He took the first blanket from Cronus and unfolded it until it was folded in half, and even then it was big enough to come up to both of their shoulders while they sat on it. He spread it out and tugged gently at Cronus’ sweater, gesturing for him to sit. Once he was settled, Kurloz sat beside him, dropping the large hoodie on his head, chuckling as he wrapped the second blanket around them both.  
  
“Put that on. It’s mine, it’ll help keep you warm,” he said quietly.  
  
Cronus just rolled his eyes but gave Kurloz the cider to open and wormed his way into the thick hoodie. It was another skeleton print. It was a little difficult to move with his sweater underneath it, but it was even warmer, and had a pocket for his hands and the hood was deep, covering his eyes and down to the tip of his nose if he pulled it all the way down. He pulled his portion of the wool blanket back around himself and watched Kurloz crack the seal and then the bottle cap like it was flimsy as a soda tab. The carbonated drink fizzed over the glass mouth, running down the neck to his fingers. He seemed completely unbothered as he licked his fingers, then up the long neck to the mouth. He tipped the bottle back and took a long drink.  
  
“Shit, I forgot how good this shit is,” he mumbled when he pulled away, holding the bottle out for Cronus to take.

He smiled a little when Cronus seemed completely unbothered and took a drink without wiping off the mouth first. He pulled away after a good three gulps, letting out a satisfied belch. He giggled and Cronus laughed. A compatible silence fell between them, and Kurloz couldn’t bring himself to break it. They passed the bottle back and forth, slowly draining it, and not for the first time that night, Kurloz was glad to be riding a slight sugar high rather than a buzz. When the bottle ran out, Cronus heaved a put upon sigh.  
  
“I’ll be right back,” he grumbled. “I should go put this in Kanny’s room so it doesn’t roll off the roof and break, or vwe forget bout it.”  
  
Kurloz hummed and nodded, and tucked the blanket close as Cronus quickly made his way off the platform to the lower section of roof to Kankri’s window. He watched the human slip inside briefly before reappearing, his steps sure and nimble. It was quite a thing to watch, even if it was short. He moved confidently, hips swinging as if to a rhythm only he could hear, hands stuffed deep into the hoodie pocket and shoulders hunched. It wasn’t particularly windy, though the tip of Cronus’ nose was bright red and his cheeks were rosy, but he seemed otherwise unbothered. He wanted to pull him close and cuddle him, leeching the heat off of him and keep him safe.

‘ _I wonder how many times he’s been out here, just sitting on this roof…_ ’ Kurloz thought as he opened the blanket up once more for Cronus.  
  
He stood there for a moment, looking at the spot next to him then Kurloz before he plopped down back next to him, shoulder to shoulder, tucking his legs underneath of himself. He looked comfortable like that, content. The silence stretched, unmarked and neither cared to disrupt it. As it was, the sound of music and laughter from downstairs was audible though muffled. It filled the air around them but there was no real descriptor for the emotions he felt. He couldn’t remember when he’d wrapped an arm around Crouns’ shoulders and tugged him closer, so he was practically in his lap, and he couldn’t remember when Cronus had pulled out his phone and started to play soft music, humming along with it. Finally, the silence was broken when Cronus started to sing with one of the songs.  
  
“I had a thought dear, however scary about that night, the bugs and the dirt. Why vwere you digging, what did you bury before those hands pulled me from the earth. I will not ask you vwhere you came from, I will not ask and neither should you,” his voice was soft, unlike when he played out on the street and filled the song with life. He still put life into the song, but it was more intense, more intimate.

He watched Cronus’ lips move, eyes closing half way as he let the words wash over him. He tightened his arms around him, one wrapped around his chest, the other loose around his waist, legs crossed, Cronus’ draped over top of his shins, peeking out from the blanket. The relaxed way he held himself, completely trusting Kurloz as he sat there in his lap made his pusher beat harder. For a moment he worried that Cronus could feel it through all his layers. He looked so utterly at peace in that moment, the words and meaning behind them filling the little space left between them.

This close, he could count the freckles on his face, the way they went over his nose and cheeks, splattered across the far reaches of his face to his temples. If he looked hard enough, he thought he could see constellations. His voice was warm, maybe not as loud as it would have been had he been on the street, but it made Kurloz’s spine shiver from emotions he couldn’t begin to name. It was like a static charge between them, the song rising and falling. But this felt more intense, beyond an electrical charge was building between them and any moment would shoot through their bodies. It made his skin tingle, goose flesh rising as he listened to the small human in his arms, pressed close to his chest.  
  
“I could not ask you vwhere you came from, I could not ask and neither could you. Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips, vwe could just kiss like real people do,” he finished, shaking faintly. Kurloz wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or something else.  
  
“You okay, Cronus?” he mumbled next to his ear, feeling him shiver.    
  
“...Yeah. Just… Pretty intense song to sing, ya know?” he managed, not looking at him.  
  
Kurloz shrugged and made a considering noise. “Not really. I can’t sing.”

“Bullshit, I heard ya singin at Thanksgiving,” Kurloz had expected him to sound smug, but instead he sounded faintly exasperated, and maybe something else. He finally looked up at him, a small smile on his lips.  
  
“Correction then. I can’t sing like you can.” he huffed, not commenting on how Cronus shivered. He just pulled him closer and tucked the blanket in tighter. “How do you do that, by the way? I don’t believe in them, but I would say it’s a motherfucking bonafide miracle to hear you sing. You capture everyone’s attention, no matter what. So, how do you do it?”  
  
Cronus was silent for several long minutes, tracing a pattern on Kurloz’s knuckles, staring up at the sky. Finally, he let out a long breath.  
  
“I don’t rightly know. I’ve just… always been able to do it, I guess. I used to sing Eri to sleep at night so they vwouldn’t cry and wake up the old bitch. I… I just wanted them to be happy, to feel safe. Dad says that it’s something like empathy with Lime bloods, uncommon as they are. Like, I’m givin all my hope and positive emotion into my singin, even if I feel like shit vwhen I do it.” he shrugged. “It’s complicated and really fuckin vweird. But some singers can do that too, so it ain’t like I’m special.”

‘ _I think you are. I think you’re a miracle,_ ’ Kurloz thought fiercely, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud. Instead, he said,  
  
“I think you’re pretty fucking interesting if nothing else. I was taught to believe in miracles and a whole fuck load of nonsense, but I’m starting to think you’ve got a gift in you, Cronus,”

“Heh… You’re vweird, Kurloz,” the human chuckled, but he could see him blush and smiled.  
  
“Maybe. Never said I wasn’t.”  
  
“So, vwhen ya say you don’t believe in miracles, does that mean in the general sense of the word, or-?”  
  
His attempt at changing the conversation was about as subtle as a whale falling from the sky to impact on a beach, or an anvil crashing cartoon style on their heads and either one of them springing back like an accordian. Kurloz let it go, though and shrugged.  
  
“I don’t believe the Mirthful Messiahs are real.”  
  
That got Cronus’ attention, interestingly enough.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Why don’t I believe?” Kurloz asked, raising his brow. “A lotta reasons. Mostly because if they existed, my prayers as a wriggler to have my voice box taken away would have been heard, and they wouldn’t have given me such an intense voice. Or maybe they would have just taken my tongue and sewn my lips shut so I couldn’t hurt anyone again.”  
  
“....Again?” Cronus’ voice was so very, very small and Kurloz loosened his hold, in case he wanted to get free.  
  
“It was an accident. I woke up, screaming from a night terror. Meulin was there, and I sent her flying. Hit her like she was the thing in my nightmare and she slammed into the wall a good three feet away. She’s lucky she just got a headache from that. If she hadn’t already been deaf, I think I would- I would have shattered her ear drums. As it was, her ears were bleeding. The old man had to knock me out… I don’t remember what happened after that, but when I woke up, Meulin was spitting angry, telling me that I should have talked to her about the night terrors, that she’d been worried sick over me, etc. We were in our senior year of high school… I thought she’d break off our matespritship after that, after I’d hit her. But, instead she worked harder than ever to keep me from slipping away from her, came with me to therapy, made me talk to her and my therapist and take my medicine. Shortly after that, I met Mituna, though we didn’t start being moirails till college.” he took a breath. “Meulin and I split it off in our junior year of college, but as you can see, stayed good with each other. She’s happier, I think, now that she’s not stressing over me. Probably healthier, too. I think if the Messiahs existed, or if any diety existed, they would have done something. Argument can be made that patience is a virtue, and all that bullshit. But I just can’t care. I got tired of waiting, of living like I was going to die between my heart beats, of being a carnie.” he let out a gust of air and closed his eyes, waiting.  
  
“I don’t think anything out there exists either,” Cronus said after a beat. There was a faint tremor in his voice as he spoke, but Kurloz wasn’t sure if it was just a single emotion that made it shake. He sounded raw, the emotions plain and tangled together.“I don’t think any god, good, bad, or vwhatever you want to call it, vwo--would let a mother abuse her children, would let her try to kill them. I don’t care if it made me stronger, I’d argue it broke me. I’d argue it took part of me away. I can take a hit and I know vwha-what it means to be so low that I wanted to kill myself. But I don’t think any god vwou-would have let any of that happen. I don’t care if it made me who I am today. I’d like to think I could be who I am without havin to almost die first.” he curled up, digging his blunt nails into Kurloz’s knuckles like he wasn’t sure if he should let go. Before Kurloz could say anything, or attempt to think of something that would make the situation any better, Cronus took a slow breath and uncurled, leaning limply against his chest, staring at the stars. “But. I’m tired of that being how I am. I just… I’m tired, Kurloz.”  
  
Kurloz didn’t even hesitate, just pulled him tightly to his chest. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t really even move, aside from a slow side to side rocking motion. There wasn’t anything to say that would fix what he felt, there wasn’t anything he could say that would help Cronus. He pressed his forehead against Cronus’ temple and let his eyes fall half way closed and a rough, rattling purr started up in his chest. It was rusty and unused, but it seemed to be helping. The tense line in Cronus’ back uncoiled, even as he relaxed against his chest. It was like there was nothing left in him but that tension, and it had finally drained out of him.  
  
“...Sorry, I’m just spillin this all over ya. I-”  
  
“It’s nothing you don’t want it to be, Cronus.” Kurloz mumbled. “I don’t care. You’re my friend.” The soft, tentative smile he got in return made his insides melt.  
  
“...You just admitted we’re friends,” Cronus mumbled, smile turning into an amused grin.  
  
Kurloz bumped his forehead a little, still purring, “Shut up. Of course we are,” He wanted more, he wanted to card his fingers through Cronus’ hair and kiss him, every part he could reach. He wanted to take away the pain he’d been carrying around for gods only knew how long. It was complicated, beyond a matesprit, different from a moirail. It was weird, and made his internal organs twist and knot, but he couldn’t deny it. He was horns over heels for him. Silence came over them once more, broken only by the deep, rusty purring rattling from Kurloz’s chest.  
  
' _What would it take to make you smile like that more?_ ' That thought surprised him more than it should have, but just staring at Cronus as he watched the stars, unwilling to break the silence just yet. It had been a strange night, one he hadn't been expecting to happen as it did. In a way, he was grateful it had happened as it had.

What came out instead was,

"You said you were tired... is there something you want to change?"

"Vwhat?" Cronus laughed a little as he spoke, turning to look at him, head laying against his shoulder.

"VWhat kind of question is that?"

' _A very stupid one,_ ' he thought vehemently.

He shrugged. "Just a question. You don't have to answer, been a weird night for us both."

Cronus went quiet, then made a soft, considering noise. "Probably my head, if I had to choose. Just, a lotta shit that runs around inside that just... gets in the vway, no matter what I do. If I changed that, maybe it'd fix how I saw things."

"Got an example?"

"Big one would be romance, I guess. I mean, ya can't hang around Karkat and Kankri and not pick up on their ridiculous love of the concept. I just... I can't bring myself to trust that it exists, at least for me. Maybe some people are truly meant to be together. But for me? I don't believe in romance. I'm just... not enough."

Kurloz wanted to growl and shake him, and cover him with kisses and never let him go, remind him day after day how much he cared. ' _You're too much of a coward to even tell him how you feel,_ ' came an old, traitorous voice. ' _You couldn't bring yourself to kiss him if you tried,_ ' he immediately drowned that out and resisted the urge to shake his head till it hurt.

"Hmnnm." was all he said in response.

"That vwas probably not what ya were expecting, huh?" Cronus said with a sardonic smile.

"I never know what to expect anymore. Probably the best thing that's ever happened since I stopped following church," he mumbled, a smile twitching at his lips.

Downstairs, there was a sudden scream of excitement and then,

"Fifteen...fourteen...thirteen..."

"Count down already?" Cronus asked, not looking away from Kurloz.

He nodded.

"Time flies, I guess."  
  
"VWe should probably go in,"

"Ten...Nine...Eight...Seven..."

Kurloz closed his eyes and leaned his temple against Cronus', then opened them again. "Can I do something, Cronus?"

"Five... Four... Three!"

"Vwhat?"

"Can I kiss you?" the words were rushed, barely out of his mouth when there was a tremendous scream,

"TWO!! ONE!!"

Cronus blinked and nodded ever so slightly. Kurloz didn't hesitate and then, the sounds of their friends and family celebrating, the screams, whoops, yells and cries of happiness and joy, the congratulations, all of it faded away. It wasn't much more than cold lips pressing against ever so slightly warmer ones. Cronus' were chapped and Kurloz was at a bit of an awkward angle. But it made him blush to the tips of his ears regardless and when he pulled away, Cronus followed him for a moment, eyes half open.

"...Wow," he mumbled.

Kurloz could only nod quietly. The sounds from inside were muffled, distant. Nothing else mattered outside of the little bubble they found themselves in.  
  
“The count down passed… But...fuck-I uh.. God damn it,” Cronus muttered.  
  
“Mnmm?” Kurloz hummed, not trusting himself to ask what he wanted, or for his voice to remain steady.  
  
“Can we do that again?” Cronus’ hands tensed and untensed on his arm, blunt nails digging into the fabric as he worried it before letting go. “Please?”  
  
Kurloz shifted a bit and pulled Cronus around in his lap so they were facing each other, arms wrapped around his lower back and holding him close. He made sure it was tight enough to hold Cronus close, but loose enough that if Cronus wanted, he could get free without fear of tipping over. Kurloz leaned in, face just a few scant inches away from his, breathing the same air. Cronus’ breath appeared in small grey puffs, drifting up and away but Kurloz’s simply ghosted over his lips.

‘ _Fuck… His eyes are stupid pretty._ ’ Cronus thought distantly before he shoved down his nerves and closed the gap between them, feeling like he’d been shocked. It was tentative as the first kiss, slow and chaste, until Cronus tilted his head to get a better angle and ran his hands up to Kurloz’s shoulders. Then it picked up. He wasn’t sure who deepened it first, but it slipped his mind entirely when he was half way crushed to Kurloz’s chest, feeling one slender hand at the back of his head and the other pressing against his back. His own hands slipped into Kurloz’s mane of hair, and it was soft as it looked. The kiss stayed slow, almost lazy. It was less of a fight and more exploring each other. His mouth was cold, and his tongue was almost like fine sandpaper, but it wasn’t entirely off putting. Just different. Slowly, he pulled away and opened his eyes. He could feel the blush on his cheeks spreading to his entire face, from the tip of his nose to his ears.  
  
“Still cold?” Kurloz mumbled, pressing their foreheads together and pulling his hand out of his hair, tugging the blanket close around his shoulders.  
  
“Mnh-hmn,” he nodded, eyes still half closed. “That.. Uh…”  
  
Kurloz chuckled and grinned, but it was slow and sweet, not sharp as he’d expected. “Was pretty fucking great,”

“Yeah,” the smile on Kurloz’s face made him a little breathless. It was so open and happy. His lips buzzed and he felt an almost overwhelming need to kiss him again. Instead, he shifted and said, “VWe should probably get inside, it’s pretty fuckin cold out here.”  
  
Kurloz nodded, though he looked a little reluctant to let him go, dropped his arms and let Cronus stand. He was stiff and more than a little sore, and he groaned as he slowly stretched out his cramped muscles.  
  
“You sound like an old man,” Kurloz chuckled, standing easily and folding the blankets quickly.  
  
Cronus flipped him off and stretched his legs a little more before he grabbed one of the folded blankets, climbing off the roof onto the lower section and made his way over towards the window.

“You coming?” He called over his shoulder, turning to look at Kurloz. The troll was just getting off the roof, footsteps hitting the shingles loud enough to make noise.  
  
“Right behind you,” he was backlit by the moon but the light from the Christmas lights strung up along the gutter and sides gave off just enough light to show where he was. The soft yellow light did strange things to Cronus’ stomach and heart, and he wasn’t sure if he could move from that spot without kissing Kurloz again, or picking up where the second kiss left off and going further.  
  
“Good. I don’t care how much you say ya like this fuckin bullshit vweather, I don’t want you gettin sick.” he turned and clambered through the window, rolling onto the bed with an ungraceful and loud, “Ouff!”  
  
“You okay?” Kurloz asked as he carefully maneuvered his way inside. It was a sight to behold, his long limbs folding up with ease as he pulled himself inside, perching on the bay window sill like a cat, crouched. Cronus stared up at him from the bed, heart beating faster as his thoughts started to race. He looked completely at ease, sitting there like the ledge was wide as the bed, even though Cronus could see his feet hung half over the edge. The ledge was big enough to sit on it properly with no issue, so he had to wonder if Kurloz was sitting like that to fuck with his head, or if he just naturally liked to sit like that.  
  
“Yeah, just fell off the sill.” he managed, yawning.  
  
Kurloz chuckled and got off the ledge, carefully moving around him so he didn’t step on one of his sprawled limbs and crouched once he was on the floor so his head was level with Cronus’, petting his hair. It was really nice.  
  
“I should go, gotta get Gamzee home and make sure he actually sleeps.”  
  
Cronus nodded and yawned. “Yeah…”  
  
Kurloz paused and looked at him, hand stilling at the top of his head, slender fingers twirling the thick locks slowly before even that stopped. He leaned down and pressed one last kiss to Cronus’ lips, smiling, and let his hand slip out of his hair.  
  
“Sleep well, Cronus.”  
  
“Yeah...You too,” he managed lamely, blushing faintly. This time he couldn’t pass it off as the cold, not that he wanted to.  
  
Kurloz chuckled and stood, taking the wool blankets with him and slipping out the door. Cronus waited until he was well and truly down the stairs before he got up and got dressed for bed, feeling like he’d been shocked. It was a pleasant sensation, one he’d never expected. Everything from his scalp to the base of his toes felt like a live wire and getting dressed for bed took a little longer than normal. His fingers wouldn’t bend properly, though they were fine as he traced over the fresh healing tattoo on his ribs before pulling on his shirt. He turned and looked at the pile of clothes he’d left, though half way folded up at least, Kurloz’s hoodie was at the top of the pile. He stared at it for a good five minutes before deciding to pull it back on top of his usual sleep shirt.The noise level slowly petered out, but he barely heard any of it. He curled up on the bed, burrowing underneath all the blankets and pulling another pillow over, hugging himself like he was in a romcom.  
  
“Fuck,” he muttered, feeling giddy and strangely enough, disappointed. He felt cold, even underneath all the blankets and wrapped up in the hoodie that smelled like incense, bread and sweets.

‘ _It’s not him, though… Fuck me, I want him to be here still._ ’ he couldn’t ignore that. His heart was hurting, too tight and beating too loud to ignore.

“Cronus?” he looked up and there was Kankri, wearing his own pajamas, though he looked a little frazzled. “Are you alright?”  
  
“Feel like I should be askin that of you, chief,” he said as he sat back up.  
  
Kankri blushed and fussed with his hair before sliding into the bed beside him, pulling Cronus close and sighing.  
  
“I was kissed by Mituna, Latula, Gamzee, Jade, Porrim, and Aranea. Thankfully, most of them kept it to my cheeks, though it was all very flustering and a little annoying. Gamzee just flat out kissed me, which was… Odd.”  
  
“Good odd or I have to go clown hunting odd?” Cronus asked, sitting up straighter, though it was a little awkward in Kankri’s arms, he managed.  
  
“....I don’t entirely know, odd. He was completely sober when he did it, and it was little more than him putting his lips to mine, and then he pulled away. Then Karkat started yelling at him not to just go around kissing people randomly and that was that.”  
  
“VWould you have wanted to keep kissin him?” Cronus asked tentatively.  
  
“I don’t know.” he looked less frazzled, just flustered but curious. “Maybe? It’s been an odd night, but I’m fairly certain it was just a spur of the moment kiss. He’s never shown interest in me like that before, so I doubt it’s that.” he shrugged and shook his head. “I’ll talk to him later about it, I suppose. What about you? You and Kurloz disappeared shortly after everyone came. I was looking for you, but I couldn’t find you anywhere.”  
  
“VWe left pretty quick, went out on the roof.” he smiled a little. “He brought out sparkling apple cider and we just drank it straight from the bottle, wrapped up in a wool blanket. Then, we talked,”  
  
“May I ask about what?” Kankri’s hand went to his neck and started untying the knot in his bandanna.  
  
“Just… religion, vwhether anythin was really out there, and whether romance was real or not. I sang a bit too, and we stargazed. Then, there was the count down, cause damn y’all are loud as fuck, and uh…” he trailed off.  
  
“Cronus, what did he do.” Kankri’s voice dropped to a low growl and Cronus reached up to pap his cheek, chuckling, though the blush was back in full force.  
  
“Nothin I didn’t want! Calm down, Kanny. He asked me if he could kiss me, and then we did. And then I kissed him again, but it was just _more_ and then we came inside and I fell off the sill onto the bed, and he perched there like a cat, which was kinda unfairly sexy. And vwhen he got off the bed, he stepped around me like just, really carefully? And pet my head, which was ridiculously nice, and then he kissed me again and said good night and I think I get to keep his hoodie now, and I just-Ghhnhnnhnnhnggghhn!!” he buried his face in Kankri’s shoulder and screeched.  
  
“Shhhshhhshhh, it’s alright, Cronus. Just breathe.” Kankri murmured, petting his hair as he pulled away the bandanna. “I’m sure everything will work itself out, just breathe. Shhhshshh,”  
  
Slowly, he calmed down, breathing heavily into Kankri’s shoulder. Not crying, just emotionally spent.  
  
“VWhat am I supposed to do, Kanny?” he whimpered as Kankri tucked them both in. “I don’t know vwhat I’m supposed to do. I’ve never felt like this.”

“Talk to him, see what he says and work together to move forward,” Kankri said, soothing his worked up moriail. He could feel the tension slowly leaving his body, and continued to pet his head, scratching his scalp every now and them. “If he respects your views and own personal challenges, then he will work with you. And you must respect his views and personal challenges. No one is perfect, however much they want to be. But I think, if you two work together and try and keep an open dialogue about what you feel, things will work out.”  
  
Cronus gave a sleepy nod and a mumble of assent, eyes glazing over. Kankri smiled and bent to kiss his nose.  
  
“Get some sleep, my diamond. I’ll be right here, don’t worry.” He smiled as Cronus burrowed into his side and within minutes, was out. He kept petting him until he was well and truly sure he was asleep, then pulled his hand away, wrapping his arm around Cronus’ shoulders. With his free hand, he grabbed his cellphone off the side table and typed one handed,  
  
**Me: I win the 6et a69ut them finally kissing. Please pay up.**

**Dad: W()W. THAT WAS FASTER THAN I TH()UGHT IT W()ULD BE. C()NGRATS T() THEM!**

**M9m: AAAHHHHH!!! This is purrfect! Oh, I can’t wait!**

**P9ps: Damn, and here I thought it’d take a couple more days. You tell the others yet?**

**Me: N9, n9t yet. I have t9 ask Jade t9 add me t9 the gr9up chat.** **  
** **  
** **Silias: HAHAHAHA!!!! Oh god, lett me knoww whatt tthey say. Jegus, I wish I could see itt for myself. TThatt will be a tthing of beautty.** **  
** **  
** **Jade: OMGOMGOMOGMG!!!! :B I’ll add you once jake and I are home, okay?** **  
** **  
** **Me: That’s fine, thank y9u Jade.** **  
** **  
** **Jade: no prob! hehehhe!**

 **Camilia: Oh shell, and here I thought I had those bouys pegged.** **  
** **  
** **Mirith: ABOUT MOTHERFUCKIN TIME.** **  
**  
Kankri chuckled to himself at seeing Mirith’s contact pop up and shook his head. The man was confusing and scared the shit out of everyone, but he truly did care about his sons. A moment later and he was offline, though. A few minutes later and he got a message from Jade, outside of the group chat.  
  
**Jade: hey! grandpa decided to drive us both home, so I’ll add you right now!**

 **Me: Thank y9u Jade.** **  
**

**Jade: :B**

A minute later and he was added to the group chat. He grinned as he composed his message.  
  
**Me: I h9pe y9u all realize that I knew a69ut** **y9ur 6ets** **9n Cr9nus and Kurl9z, as n9ne 9f y9u are exactly su6tle. I w9uld lecture the l9t 9f y9u 9n this pr96lematic 6ehavi9r, 6ut that w9uld make me a hyp9crite and I hate eating cr9w. I als9 had a 6et placed.**

**Karkat: WELL FUCK. FUCKING FUCK FUCK ME WITH A CACTUS AND PUT ME IN THE GOD DAMN DESERT BECAUSE I’M SUDDENLY A RAINBOW DRINKER WHO ENJOYS THE FUCKING SUN. THAT WOULD BE MORE LIKELY THAN WHAT I JUST READ. WHEN THE HELL DID YOU JOIN THIS FUCKING CLUSTER FUCK? WHEN DID YOU EVEN BET ON YOUR MOIRAIL?**

**Dave: huh. that’s probably one of the most unexpected damn things I’ve ever read.**

**P9rrim: Oh shit. I wasn't expecting that either. Wait did yo+u just say yo+u have a bet o+n them as well?**

**Me: Yes, I did.**

**R9xy: ohhhhh!! Kanny gettin in on this juicy gossip!**

**Jake: Oh my, good chap! Do tell!**

**Me: Jake, I have t9 ask, and I h9pe this isn’t seen as rude, 6ut d9 y9u always use such 9utdated language? And when did y9u j9in in 9n this?**

**Jake: Why yes I do! I find it to be more exciting than just simple English, and it adds flavor to my sentences! And I joined in this betting pool shortly after Jade explained to me the absolute mess those two found themselves in. So, I thought, well slap my bottom and call me a monkey’s uncle, but damn if I’m not a betting man. I’ve known Cronus for almost a year, so I had to join in this. He really does need a happy day.**

**Kanaya: I Cannot Argue With That Logic. And Kankri, I Never Expected You To Be One For Betting, Especially On Your Moirail.  
** **  
** **S9llux: what the 2hiit ju2t happened here? Diid ii read that right? Kankrii ii2 iin on thii2 clu2ter fuck 2?** **  
** **  
** **Me: Yes, I am.** **  
**

**Jane: Oh my gosh. Well, at least we don’t have to tiptoe around you, and Cronus AND Kurloz. Though, if I’m being fair, I don’t think the pair of them would know their mutual pining it if it hit them in the face.**

**R9xy: Ohhh, Janey coming in with the real truth!**

**S9llux: IIs iit that fuckiing 2urpri2ing anymore though? Liike, let’2 bee hone2t here. Tho2e 2 are obliviou2 a2 fuck.**

**Me: As much as I detest the way y9u just descri6ed the current situati9n, I d9 have t9 agree with y9u, S9llux. Thus why I j9ined in this 6et.  
** **  
** **Terezi: OHHH!!! TH1S 1S** **3XC1T1NG! MR. K4NKR1 V4NT4S, DO3S TH3 COURT F1ND YOU TO BE 1N C4HOOTS W1TH TH3 R3S7 OF TH3S3 R3B3L ROUS3RS?**

 **Me: I w9uld like t9 p9int 9ut that y9u y9urself are a part 9f this gr9up, Ms.** **Terezi Pyr9pe, and thus any legal c9njecture y9u attempt will 6e just as incriminating up9n y9urself.** **  
** **  
** **Terezi: 3H3H3H3HH3H3!!! 1 LOVE 1T WH3N YOU PLAY ALONG, MR. K4NKR1 V4NT4S. V3RY W3LL, TH3 COURT SH4LL C34S3 W1TH TH3 QU3ST1ONS FOR NOW.** **  
**

**Karkat: OH THANK FUCK.  
** **  
** **Dave: i gotta agree. also was there a reason for you hopin on here? Or was it just to say you joined the chat and the bet? cause I don’t know if you can hear it man but I’m clapping for you. I don’t think anyone expected this sudden turn of events. shit happened so fast we’d need neo from the god damn matrix to come slow it all down and morpheous to explain it all.**

 **Latula: oh my god!!! Dud3, tooooottttttt4lly not r4d, sc4ring 4ll of us l1k3 th4t! w41t, when d1d you jo1n th3 b3ts?  
** **  
** **Mituna: K4NKR1 15 1N 7H3 8375?! WH47 7H3 FUCK H4PP3N3D! 5P1LL D4MN 17**

**Damara: hahahhahahahhahaha**

**R9se: Oh? This is certainly an interesting turn of events.**

**Aradia: 0_0 kankri what happened? what did y0u bet 0n?**

**P9rrim: I think if any o+f us let him type, he wo+uld tell us.**

**Me: Thank y9u, P9rrim. I added a new 6et at the 6eggining 9f the m9nth.**

**Dirk: Holy shit, that added bet was you?**

**H9rrus: 8=D < Oh my. **

**Equius: D --- > I must say that this has g0tten c0mpletely 0ut 0f hand. Were my hands n0t s0 STRONG and my mathematical skills s0 reliable, Jade and myself w0uld be utterly l0st. These shenanigans are c0mpletely ine%cusable, n0t t0 menti0n ridcul0us.   
  
****Dave: and yet youre still a part of them dude  
** **  
** **Nepeta: wait WHAT!!! *AC must pause to absorb this information of her older hatch mate betting on his moirail***

 **Meulin:** (=^•ω•^=) <  **OGMOGMOGMOMG!! WHAT HAPPENED KANKRI!?! I NEED TO KNOW SO I CAN UPDATE MY SHIPPING JOURNAL!l!**

 **Aranea: Oh, I really should be paying attention. One moment please, I need to go scroll back up and read what’s happened. I really hate being out of the loop.  
****  
** **Vriska:** **OOOOOOOOH** **MY** **GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!** **I want the details, Vantass!**

 **Kanaya: Yes, We Were Just Getting To That, Vriska.** **  
** **  
** **Meenah: whale somefin's going on with clownfish and his bouy yeah**

**Me: Yes.**

**Araena: Oh my goodness, I was expecting something to happen, but not this! This is utterly fascinating. Please continue, Kankri.**

**J9hn: woah, I’m super behind!!! Oh, hi Kankri!**

**Me: Hell9 J9hn.**

**Gamzee: wHaT’s ThIs BoUt My BrO? hE aNd CrO bRo FiNaLlY gEt ThEiR MaCk On?** **  
** **  
** **Tavr9s:** **oH,,,MY GOD, wOW, i WASN’T,,, UH, REALLY EXPECTING TO HEAR ANYTHING SO,,, SOON,** **  
** **  
** **Rufi9h: BANGARANG! Holy sh*t, what happened? D1d… Kurloz and Cronus f1nally get together? Who won?**

**Jade: :B**

**Me: I 6et in the categ9ry as t9 h9w l9ng it w9uld take them t9 kiss. And I w9n.**

He chuckled, watching the messages fly in and shook his head. He’d leave it to Jade to sort them all out.  
  
**Me: Well, I’m g9ing t9 g9 t9 6ed. I will talk t9 y9u all in the m9rning.** **  
** **  
** **Meenah: OI YOU FUCKING T---EAS---E G---ET BACK )(---ER---E**

**P9rrim: Rude, Kankri. I expect details to+mo+rro+w**

**Jade: hehehehehe!**

**J9hn: Wow! Wait, no, come back! You can’t just drop that on us and then leave!** **  
** **  
** **Dave: karkat and i’ll get details out of him tomorrow  
** **  
** **Karkat: YOU FUCKING BET WE WILL. YOU CAN’T FUCKING RUN FROM THIS ONE, KANKRI!**

Kankri laughed softly and turned off his sound, putting it face down. He would answer the messages tomorrow. For now, he had a moirail to cuddle and some sleep to catch up on. He yawned and curled up around Cronus, tucking the shorter man’s head underneath his chin and pulled the covers up a little higher. He could hear Karkat’s muffled swearing and his parents amused voices coming up the stairs. The next few days were going to be very interesting, that was for certain. He yawned and closed his eyes, falling asleep in minutes.


	7. In Which Two People Finally Manage to Understand And Someone Almost Dies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go the way they were intended most of the time, and the one time they do, someone ends up in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVE!!! Thank you so much to everyone who's left comments and kudos, it makes my month. This chapter is a little weird in transitions, so if anything is confusing, please let me know in the comments. A huge thank you once again to my friend Sparrow, who is my beta, and still hasn't gotten tired of my attempts at plot and shenanigans. If you want to check out her works, go to her tumblr at https://sparrowwritings.tumblr.com/  
> AND a huge thank you to my friend Lacewing for helping me name Kankri's text handle and find some jokes for this chapter. Go check out her stuff on her ao3!!  
> ALSO PLEASE READ THE TAGS!!! This chapter has: a semi-graphic PTSD dream, mentions of past abuse, blood, physical violence and a few slurs. If any of these offend you, I apologize, but please keep in mind this is fictional. And let me know, I will put endnotes summarizing what happens. Also, if you speak Turkish and see anytjing wrong, please please tell me! Kecicik from what I understand means stubborn goat, and in this, is used affectionately by Duncan.  
> Now, enough from me.  
> Wait, I lied.  
> But, at this point, if I have to tell you Homestuck is the brain child of Andrew Hussie, I cannot help you. OC's belong to me.  
> Now on with the story!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> -RR

He was walking along the side of the road, pack shouldered and head high, scanning for threats. His partner was a pace ahead of him, her ears twitching ever so slightly every now and then. It was hot. Hotter than it should have been. He called a halt as his partner stopped, foot raised in mid-air. She shook her head and sighed.   
  
“False alarm. I think we should break,”   
  
The words seemed to hover in the air, shifting with the heat. He blinked and it was cooler, the sun rising, bathing the sky in a stark, scarlet red.   
  
“Red sky in morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight,” he muttered, not looking around. His shoulders ached and his feet felt like there were anchors tied to them.   
  
“I think you’re worried about nothing, Captain Amparanoid ,” came the rich rolling voice, teasing him with a stupid nickname.     
  
He snorted and shook his head. “Never too careful-” he was cut off mid sentence when the earth shook. Shouts from the rest of the squad barely reached his ears.

Amaria gave him a split second look, fear in her olive eyes, mouth opening to warn him. He’d already moved, diving towards her. There was a blast that threw them all off their feet and he grabbed her around the waist, feeling the blast of pain all through his body. His leg felt like it wasn’t even there, just so light and free. He was- They were- weightless, flying through cool air.   
  
He slammed into frigid water, no Amaria in his arms and pain filling his body. He was locked into position, frozen in place and forced to sink even as he struggled. He couldn’t pull a breath through his gritted teeth, hissing in pain. Someone was screaming, gurgling. Nothing. Then,   
  
“Dad!!” Cronus… Eridan…

He struggled harder as he was submerged, pulled beneath the chains and anchors that had attached themselves to his remaining leg, the other a slowly bleeding stump. He wrestled and fought against the currents, struggling towards the muffled pleas and the slowly fading light. He was growing colder. But the more he tried for the surface, the further he sank, drifting in the total inky blackness. He could hear voices rushing past him in the water, popping the bubbles that escaped his teeth.   
  
_Why didn’t you care?_ The whisper was like a slice across his face, cutting deep. _  
_ _  
_ _Captain! Please!_ A stab to the chest.

 _Duncan! Duncan, please-!_ The cry felt like his spine was going to break from the weight it carried.

 _Dad?_ Scared and weak. A hand around his throat, making him open his mouth in a desperate roar.   
  
Nothing but water. He was filled with it. The frigid ink clawed at him, so cold it burned. It filled his desperate lungs and tasted metallic like blood.   
  
“Lieutenant!” Amaria?   
  
“Please wake up, love,” Kaliri? 

He gurgled and looked around. The water disappeared and he could breathe again, though it wasn’t very well. He was taking short, pained gasps through his nose, which felt like it was filled with sand. Someone cooler than him was on top of him, half covering his body. She was getting cooler by the second.   
  
“Mari- Mari,” he wheezed, struggling to get up. She wasn’t moving. “No-Nononono-” She wasn’t breathing. Her eyes were wide, sightless, glazing over. The weight pressed further into his chest. The weight of his guilt. Blood was soaking into his mouth, it tasted like sand and metal. He hadn’t been able to save her-

_Blink._

Rattling gasps and weak pleas. He looked down and saw the limp body of Cronus, cradled in his arms. The fragile child was staring at him, hands clinging to his chest. Eyes open too wide, blood at the corner of his mouth, hand prints around his neck, blood slowly showing through a gash in his torso. Another body was nearby, too small. Head rotated too far to be natural, limbs too still. He could see other bodies, horns telling his exactly who’d they’d been. Kaliri’s eyes stared at him, sightless, blood leaking out of the side of his mouth, face twisted into a scream.  
  
“Cro-Cronus…” he whimpered. “E-Eridan… Kaliri-” his words were cut off by something closing around his throat. It was the silence and the dark.   
  
He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathehecouldn’tbreathetherewassomuch pain. Oh god, he was going to die, he couldn’t even save any of them. Something was bubbling up in his chest, desperate to escape.   
  
Duncan jolted upwards in bed, a scream dying in his throat, covered in cold sweat. He lifted his hands to his hair, trying to slow down his breathing and noticed the tremor in his hands as he tried to run his fingers through his hair. He grabbed a wrist and tried to keep it still in a futile attempt. He let out a shaky breath and dropped his arms, running his hands over his wounded leg, the solid weight of muscle and the soft flannel of his pants helping bring him back. He forced himself to breathe slowly, looking over at his side table. There was his alarm clock, which cheerfully told him it was two in the morning and felt like it was going to stab his eyes if he looked at it any longer. It wasn’t very harsh light, but it wasn’t helping at the moment.

Slowly, his eyes wandered around the dimly lit room, which was too dark to see much beyond the vague shapes of his desk, his bookshelf on the left wall, his dresser on the opposite wall, next to his open closet. His bed was right below the window, the curtains shut tight, but the odd foggy light filtered through the cracks. He took a few more deep breaths. His bed was too large, too empty and he closed his eyes tightly, breathing slowly. He still was off kilter. He could feel the itching need to go and wander, despite the growing awareness of phantom pain in his right leg, where his knee had a metal cap, and his femur and hip were mostly metal. The scar tissue felt tender, as though the stitches were there, pulling. Reminding him that he was alive, in a twisted way.   
  
“Pops?” His head shot up and he looked over to the door.

Eridan stood there, rubbing at his eyes, glasses haphazardly resting on the top of his head. In the crook of his left elbow was a seahorse plushie, almost as big as his torso. The soft white fabric was pristine as ever, despite the toy being almost as old as Eridan. His looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, Cronus’ hoodie thrown over top the too large shirt, pajama pants trailing behind his heels. Absently, Duncan noted they were the new ones Rosa had made for him. They had little seahorses on them.   
  
“Hey,” he rasped, the need to scream still pressing at his chest, like it would break out of him physically. “Ya a’right, Eri?”   
  
The teen frowned and put his glasses on properly, then shook his head. Wordless, he walked over to the bed and climbed up, settling beside Duncan.   
  
“Had a nightmare,” he mumbled.   
  
“You wanna sleep with me, Erol?” he asked, smiling a little. The boy’s grandmother -- his mother -- had given him and Cronus Turkish names as a way of nicknaming them. Eridan’s was Erol, which meant brave, and Cronus’ had been Demir, one who is made of Iron, though he was the only one who called them by those names. It struck him then how apt the nicknames were and he smiled a little more, feeling a little more grounded.   
  
Eridan nodded, taking off his glasses and putting them on the side table, being careful not to knock into the alarm clock or the picture frame just behind it. Then, he grabbed the corner of the blankets and tugged them over himself, then squirmed up close to Duncan, tucking himself close as he could to his father.   
  
“I wwas scared, Pops,” he mumbled as Duncan settled once more, draping an arm around him and pulling him closer, his other hand tucking the blankets closer. “I dreamed you ww-were gone, and Cro was too, and n-no one was answerin’ me. I screamed and screamed and ran out into the streets, but there was no one. It was just tall, empty buildings and me. Nothin else,”   
  
“Sshshshhssh,” he murmured, stroking Eridan’s hair. “It’s alright, Eridan, my little Erol… You’re safe here. I won’t let anythin happen to ya, or to ya brother. Not Fef, not Meenah, not Meulin, Nepeta, or Kankri, Karkat, Kaliri or Amaria. Or anyone else in this family.”   
  
“What bout Cami?” he sniffed, voice muffled in his side.   
  
Duncan chuckled. “She would eat anyone who messed with our little family for breakfast after givin them a proper ass kickin to tenderize em,” he pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You got nothin’ to worry bout, Eridan. It was a nightmare, and nightmares are never real for long.” 

He nodded and clung a little tighter, long skinny arms finally developing muscle. Duncan let out a soft, mostly playful, _ouff_ and chuckled,   
  
“Gonna squeeze me to death, kiddo.”  
  
“No, ‘m not,” he snorted, but he gave another squeeze and Duncan snorted softly, feeling a little more relaxed.

He tucked Eridan up underneath his chin and let his eyes close a little, staring at the alarm clock. It was blurred and out of focus, but it didn’t matter. His dream wouldn’t leave him alone and he squeezed Eridan a little more as the memory of his neck being broken, sightless eyes staring at him, limbs limp and listless.   
  
“Pops, too tight,” he wheezed.

“Shit, sorry,” he loosened his hold and Eridan took a deep breath.   
  
“...What was your nightmare bout?” he asked, catching Duncan off guard.   
  
For a moment, he stared at the clock, contemplating simply shutting the question down and telling Eridan to go to sleep. He disregarded that thought a moment later and let out a long sigh. He felt too old to be forty-five. Most of the dream felt like a clouded mess, a mixture of PTSD and old fears being dragged up to the surface. He could feel the blood dripping between his fingers and see Cronus’ limp body, cradled in his arms. That part was different. As far as he knew, Cronus had never been stabbed. That thought made his spine crawl and a sense to hug both his children close as he could and tuck them away from the world rise like a physical need. Instead, he tucked Eridan’s blankets a little closer and hugged him, pressing another kiss to his forehead.   
  
“Just some PTSD and old fears, Erol. I’ll be fine in a few hours.”

“...Okay,” he mumbled, turning his face so he was looking up at him. “...Can you call me Eri or Erol today?”   
  
“Course,” he smiled. “What’re ya feelin today?”   
  
“...Don’t know yet. But it isn’t a boy,”   
  
“Alright, Eri.” he smiled, feeling pride swell in his chest despite the fear still fighting for space. His son-child was growing up, and growing more comfortable with themself and with the idea of telling him when they wanted a specific pronoun. He didn’t completely understand it, but he’d look further into it later so he could and hopefully help Eri feel more comfortable and safe. 

“Hey, Pops?” they asked after several minutes of easy silence. He hummed. “Can you sing? Please?”

“What’dya wanna hear?” he asked.   
  
“...The lullabye?”   
  
He blinked in surprise, but nodded. “I can do that. I may call Kaliri and Amaria when you’re asleep, but I’ll be quiet, then I’ll come back to bed,”   
  
Eri nodded and closed their eyes as he hummed a few bars before he began to sing,   
  
“Good night my angel, time to close your eyes and save these questions for another day. I think I know what you’ve been asking me, I think you know what I’ve been trying to say,” his voice wasn’t that great, but it was rich, rolling over the words, and soothing in the darkness where the fear of shadows clung to them both. “I promised I would never leave you, then you should always know wherever you may go, no matter where you are, I never will be far away.”   
  
He looked down as he felt the hand that clung to his shirt loosen and then finally go lax and Eri’s breathing smoothed out to a slow, deep rhythm of sleep. He sung a few more bars before that pettered off to soft, broken humming and then to silence. Eri was well and truly asleep.

‘ _They look so young,_ ’ Duncan thought, staring at them, propping himself up on his elbow and forearm. Eri’s eyes had deep bags underneath of them, which made him worry, but with their gangly limbs curled up against him, holding tight to a plush and one hand pressed against his heart, they were so small. ‘ _They’re so tired and fragile like this,_ ’ he ran a hand up and down their back, gentle, tickling them through the hoodie. A smile twitched at their lips and the last bits of tension drained away. He smiled and tickled their back a little longer, rubbing a thumb at the base of their neck for a moment. When he was sure they were well and truly asleep, it was almost three in the morning, but he knew that Kaliri would still be awake.   
  
Carefully, he sat up and moved to the end of the bed, then slipped out and tucked Eri in a little more, pulling another blanket over them when they shivered at the lack of heat. He paused, making sure they didn’t wake up. When they didn’t so much as grumble, he let out a soft sigh and grabbed his phone and silently padded out of the room and down the hall a bit before calling Kaliri.   
  
It rang a few times before there was a _clk_ and a sleepy, “Lo?” with shifting in the background.   
  
“Kali?” he murmured, unable to stop the hitch in his voice.   
  
“Dun? What’s wrong? You okay? Is Eri?” Kaliri sounded a lot more awake in that moment, and in the background, Duncan could hear Amaria waking up and yawning.   
  
“Y-Yeah… They’re fine. I’m…It’s-” he paused, letting out a shaky breath. “PTSD nightmare,”   
  
“Oh, Dun,” the soft tone in Kaliri’s voice wasn’t pity or sympathy as he expected, but something warmer, softer, more understanding than either emotion. It made his chest hurt a little and he wanted to be back in Philly again, cuddled between the pair. “What was it about this time? Do you wanna talk about it?”   
  
“...Not really,” he mumbled.   
  
“Is that Dun?” he heard and chuckled weakly.   
  
“Hey, Mari,” he said, a little louder so she could hear.   
  
“Hello, love,” she purred, voice a little further away. “What are you doing up?”   
  
“PTSD nightmare,” Kaliri said and she made a noise in the back of her throat. “He doesn’t really want to talk about it.”   
  
“Well… Not all of it. I don’t remember a whole lot of it,” he said, cutting in. Kaliri and Amaria fell quiet, waiting for him to continue. Duncan took a deep breath and then continued, “I...It was a mix of shit, just really intense and weird. Like, it started out with our third tour, then switched to a blood dream and some weird water shit. And I could hear voices, y’all’s voices, calling to me. I tried, I tried so hard, to get to ya. And I couldn’t. I was drowning, and then I wasn’t, and I was somewhere… Everyone-Everyone was dead. Cut, stabbed, broken necks, burn outs… Cronus was in my arms… Fuck, I can still feel blood-”   
  
“Dun, _Duncan_ ,” the urgent but soft voice stopped him. “Breathe, babe,” he hadn’t realized he’d been near hyperventilating, but he did as he’d been told. “Good. Hold that breath. Aannnndddddd slowly let it out through your mouth… There you go. Very good, I’m so proud of you baby. Let’s do it again,”

He followed Amaria’s instructions for slowing down his breathing and could feel himself calming down. She kept going for at least another two or three minutes, just to be sure he was calm and purred loudly, almost like her face was pressed right up against his.  
  
“Very good, Duncan,” she praised and he let out one more exaggerated breath.   
  
“Thanks, darlin,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He suddenly felt exhausted.   
  
“Now,” Kaliri took the phone back. “I know for a fact that Cronus is just fine. He spent the night here last night and most of the day as well before he went back to his, Dirk and Dave’s apartment. He and Kurloz have been getting along a lot better these past few days as well, according to Kankri, Karkat and Dave, so there’s no need to worry. There is no blood, there is nothing to be afraid of.”

“...There’s no blood, there’s nothin’ to be afraid of,” Duncan repeated and Kaliri trilled.   
  
“Very good. He’s fine, Dun. I promise.” out of the corner of his eye, Kaliri could see the way Amaria was frowning, gnawing at her lip.

“...Demir is fine,” Duncan repeated, yawning. “God, I feel exhausted. But, better.”   
  
“Well, these kinds of attacks tend to do that to a person,” Amaria said with a gentle tone. “Now, I want you to get some water and then go back to sleep. We will talk in the morning if you’re truly feeling better.”

“Yeah,” he yawned again. “Eri’s sleepin in my bed, they had a nightmare too,” he shuffled to the bathroom as he talked. He turned on the tap and filled the glass they usually kept there and drank it slowly while Kaliri and Amaria hummed, worried and inquisitive. “They’re fine now,” he said as he finished the glass, setting it back down on the counter. “But I should get back to bed before they wake up and I’m gone. Told them I’d be callin y’all but sleep can be weird,”

“Yeah,” Kaliri yawned. “We should try to get some sleep too. Trying to stay on a dinural pattern, stead of stayin up for days on end.”   
  
“Love, that’s what _you_ and _Dun_ do,” Amaria chastised lightly. “You both need to take better care of yourselves. Really now,” she sighed and Duncan smiled a little.   
  
“Well, thank god we got you, Mari. You keep us from bein too stupid.” he yawned and shook his head. “I love you both,”   
  
“We love you too,” the couple said in stereo, smiling wide. “Sleep well, Duncan.”   
  
“Night night,” he mumbled as he got back to his door. He cut off the call and put his phone back on the side table before he climbed back into bed, careful of Eri. They were still dead asleep, curled up in the same spot. He smiled and tucked them up against his side and made sure the seahorse was still in their arms before he pressed one more kiss to the top of their head.   
  
“Night, Erol,” he mumbled. “Love you,” and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he called Kaliri again and talked a bit about the plans for the day as he cooked breakfast for himself and Eri, who was still dead asleep, but since it was a Saturday he wasn’t inclined to wake them up before breakfast.   
  
“I need to edit my book and start that arduous process,” he grumbled, flipping another pancake. “So, that’ll be fun. Eri and Feferi may get together today and finish off their homework, they’ve got a project due for AP English they’ve been partnered for.”   
  
“That poor teacher isn’t going to know what hit them,” Kaliri chuckled and Duncan laughed quietly.   
  
“Nope, she sure won’t. Those two may actually make her cry. According to Eri, they have to write a short story or play based on Shakespeare, using the language and prose of the time.”  
  
“...She _does_ know that you’re Eri’s dad, right?” Kaliri asked. “They’ve been soaked in that kind of writing since they were, what six?”   
  
“Nmhm, seven. Anne and Baba loved the classics and got them both into reading higher level books when they were little things. Eri found Shakespeare one day and Baba loved being dramatic and reading to them. Cro was a little more reserved, but when Anne read to him he’d ask for another chapter.” he smiled at the memory and felt an ache in his chest at the loss of his mother and father. It’d been years now, but it hadn’t been easy. “I’ll probably go visit them today again, do a little gardening. Maybe bring along Cami.”   
  
“That sounds like a good idea, Dun,” Kaliri said softly, smiling a little. He wanted to ask Duncan to come to Philadelphia, to move in with him and Amaria, to not leave them again, because the long distance hurt. But, he also knew how much he loved New Orleans. It felt cruel to ask him to leave all of that, even when Eridan graduated. Instead, he said, “Do you think you’ll call Cronus today as well? The new semester’s started up, and he’s already getting nervous for the end of it.”   
  
He heard Duncan snort and move around, probably turning off the stove. “I’ll give him a call today or tomorrow, maybe skype him for a few hours as I work. It’d be nice to see him, probably help my head too.”   
  
“The dream still bothering you?” Kaliri guessed, taking a drink of coffee. He looked towards the kitchen, where he could hear Amaria puttering around, probably putting together her own breakfast. There was quiet on the other end, then a soft, long exhale.   
  
“Yeah,” Duncan murmured. “I just… _It felt so real,_ ” he said vehemently. “I could feel the blood in my hands, see the slice across his torso. It was more than just a fear driven nightmare or PTSD dream. Cronus has never been stabbed, I’ve never had to worry bout him gettin stabbed, Kali. There was nothin there to vworry bout. And then… This nightmare,”   
  
“Breathe, love,” Kaliri soothed, itching to run his fingers through Duncan’s hair. “Just keep breathing. It’s okay. Listen to me. It was a dream, a strangely specific dream, but fear does that. It takes what we love and what we don’t know and twists them, mutating them until they are shadows of what we once knew and turning us against ourselves. Your head does not control you. Your fears do not control you, your PTSD does not control you. Give Cro a call later today, that will help put your mind at ease, like you said,”   
  
He heard a long, weary sigh. “Yeah, guess you’re right.”   
  
“Course I am,” Kaliri said with a small grin.   
  
“I should get goin, I have to wake up Erol.”

“...Who?” Kaliri asked, feeling a little confused.

“Eri, my son. Who else?”   
  
“You called him-them Erol, though. And last night, Demire? Were you talking about Cronus?”   
  
There was some shifting on the other line and the clink of plates before Duncan answered. “DEE-Mir,” he corrected, exaggerating how to pronounce it. “Right, so, when my mother was alive, she gave them both a Turkish name as a nickname, since she herself was turkish and wanted to bring a little piece to them both. But, it the names also gave them a kind of verbal security blanket. When they felt overwhelmed by something, had nightmares or just bad days, she or myself would hold them close and tell them silly stories in Turkish and call them by those names, as well their own when they calmed down. Cronus’ birth mother was French and it was his first language until he was in first grade when he he had to speak English and he never learned Greek, so hearing another language helped him. It helped more because it’s so different from French or English, and I think it grounded him a little.”   
  
“How many languages do they both know? Did Eri ever learn French?” he asked, taking another drink of coffee.   
  
“Cro’s first language was French, but he prefers English and Turkish, though he’s not fluent in Turkish, he’s conversational. Pretty sure he also knows Spanish. Eri learned French from school and talking to Cronus, then taught himself German and Spanish, and then I’m teaching him Turkish. He soaked up languages like he soaks up history.”   
  
“Damn,” Kaliri whistled, not trying to hide the awe and pride in his voice. “That’s impressive, I never knew that. I knew their birth mother was French, but I don’t know why I didn’t expect Cronus to speak it. Does he not like to because of her? Is that were his verbal tic came from?”   
  
“He’s told me that he would sing to Eri in French and that she’d usually yell at him in a fucked up mixture of French and English, so I don’t think that’s it. I think he just doesn’t see the need to speak French unless he is with someone who would either understand what he’s saying or he wants to try and be romantic.” Kaliri could almost hear the shrug in his other mate’s voice. “I don’t know what to tell ya. But, it’s part of why he’s got that verbal tic. He can’t really get rid of the French accent underneath it all, just like I can’t get rid of the Turkish-Scottish and New Orleans Yat accent. It’s a few other things as well. He lays on the thick Brooklyn accent on top of his Yat accent to exaggerate it, and after she strangled him, he had surgery to fix his vocal cords, and when he gets nervous are the main reasons he has it. He used to stutter his w’s too, like Eri does.” his voice was low, filled with a strange combination of pain, anger and remorse.   
  
Kaliri hummed and nodded, staring into his mostly empty coffee mug. It felt cold, all of a sudden, and he didn’t feel like finishing it off. He carefully set it to the side and curled up a little on the couch, missing Duncan’s heat and weight pressed against him. He wanted to go to Cronus and hug him tight as he could, despite that he’d known the boy for almost twelve years, he was still learning about him and Eri.   
  
“Kali? You there still?”   
  
“Hmn? Yeah, sorry. Got lost in thought.” he apologized and Duncan hummed.   
  
“It’s a’right. Don’t worry about it, darlin. But, I should really get goin. Eri’s gonna wake up, and then gotta get through the rest of the day. Want me to call you and Mari tonight?”   
  
“Yeah, I’d like that,” Kaliri smiled and sighed through his nose. “I miss you already. It’s barely been a month,”   
  
“I miss ya too, Kali. You and Mari both. I’ll be up to visit y’all soon as I can, okay? I love you, and give Mari a kiss for me,”   
  
“I love you too, and I will.”   
  
He heard a huff of amusement and then a softer, “Love ya,” and the line went dead.   
  
Kaliri let out a soft groan and laid his head back against the couch.   
  
“Are you alright, my beloved?” Amaria asked, settling down beside him and he rolled so he was pressed against her side.   
  
“I just miss Dun and Eri a lot,” he mumbled. “The house feels so empty without all the kids here, without Duncan here.”

Amaria purred and ran her free hand through his hair, rubbing at his horn beds. “Don’t worry, love. He’ll come by again soon for spring break, and then it will be summer and we can do something together.” she nuzzled the side of his head. “The house won’t seem so empty then, either. If I’m honest, I’m more worried about his dream,” her voice trailed off, quiet and worried.   
  
“Beloved? What’s wrong?” it was his turn to look up at her, taking her coffee mug from her hand and setting it on the table and running his hands over her cheeks and up into her hair. “What’s going through your mind?”   
  
Amaria worried her lip with sharp fangs before she let out a long breath. “I just… Do you remember when you first came to meet Duncan at the army hospital in DC? When his leg had been fixed and he’d been given the metal hip and a partial metal femur and the metal knee cap?”   
  
Kaliri nodded slowly, shifting so he was eye level with her.   
  
“Well… When he was coherent, I asked him why he’d pushed me out of the way. How’d he’d known to push me out of the way before the mine even went off. And that wasn’t the first time it’d happened, sometimes he could do things split seconds before they happened.”   
  
“Like Rose’s affinity towards clairvoyance?” Kaliri asked gently and Amaria nodded.   
  
“But this was so much more broader. He said he’d had a dream where he’d been thrown to the ground by me, but my leg had been blown off and I bled out before he could stop it. He’d thought it was a nightmare, but that day… It’d been too real, to clear and he pushed _me_ out of the way a few seconds before I knew what happened.”   
  
“...And you think the Cronus in his dream, the all of _us_ in his dream could mean,” he trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud.

“I don’t know… Maybe? Maybe not?” she shook her head, frustrated. “I don’t know anything at all. Sometimes, it wasn’t right and he was just seen as paranoid. But, we’d nicknamed him Captain Ampara, since Amparanoid was a little too long, and he’d sometimes be a little too on edge, waiting for things to happen. And when they didn’t happen to our squad but another’s, he just looked so torn, like he was happy that whatever the dream had been about hadn’t happened to us, then upset. He just _knew_ . Once, a Major questioned him as to _how_ he knew what he did, and made him take a polygraph test. He passed with flying colors, and stuck to the fact that he’d seen it in a dream, but sometimes they just didn’t come to pass.”   
  
“I mean, humans have been known to have powers like that,” Kaliri reasoned. “It’s not exactly a wild thought that a human could have foresight or a mildly prophetic dream. I mean, look at Cronus. His empathic abilities are clearly displayed in his singing, or Rose with her clairvoyance. Dave has a way with telling exact time without needing a clock, Eri’s memory is eidetic and shows no signs of decreasing in strength. Jade’s a polymath and child genius, and John has near inhuman speed, like he’s flying rather than running, Jane’s ability to bring plants back from the brink of death, or flat out resurrect them, Roxy can seemingly disappear, and Jake and Dirk can instill positive emotion in just about anyone. Feferi may as well have gills, and Meenah’s a shark like her mother with business and numbers. All the humans we know have some strange quirk or another, Beloved. It just means that we’ll have to keep an eye out, but I’m sure everything will be fine,” he kissed at her jaw, then a sweet kiss to her lips. “That one was from Dun,”

“I almost feel like you’re attempting to downplay this so to make me feel less worried.” she said flatly, pulling away after a moment.   
  
“...Is it working?” he gave her a hopeful smile, cupping her face with one of his hands, his thumb rubbing her cheek.

“Not really, but I appreciate the attempt,” she smiled and curled up against his side, sighing. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she looked out the windows towards the field and the surrounding forest, lost in thought and memory.  
  
“Don’t worry, my darling,” Kaliri said quietly against her temple. “I’m sure Cronus is fine.” he pulled out his phone anyways and sent a message to Porrim.  
****

**Signless: P()RRIM, D() Y()U KN()W H()W CR()NUS IS?** **  
****  
****Me:** **As far as I kno+w, he and Kurly are do+ing just fine. they went o+ut o+n a date no+t date. I’m ro+lling my eyes so+ hard I think my eyeballs will fall o+ut o+f my skull.  
  
********Signless: ()H. WELL ALRIGHT THEN. WAIT, H()W D() Y()U KN()W THEY WENT ()N A DATE?** **  
****  
****Me:** **Because I’m the o+ne who+ to+ld Kanaya to+ suggest to+ Ro+se who+ wo+uld talk to+ Cro+nus abo+ut taking Kurlo+z o+ut finally. At this po+int, all we want is fo+r them to+ get to+gether. I wo+uld have bro+ught Kankri into+ this, but he already talked to+ Cro+nus abo+ut asking Kurlo+z o+ut. It’s been this very ro+und abo+ut way this who+le weekend.** **  
****  
****Signless: AH. WELL, PLEASE JUST KEEP ME AND AMARIA INF()RMED.**

 **Me:** **I will be delighted to+. Oh, I have to+ go+, I am meeting up with Ro+xy.**

 **Signless: TAKE CARE ()F Y()URSELF, PLEASE! AND TELL R()XY AMARIA AND I SAY HELL()!** **  
** **  
** **Me: I pro+mise.** **  
** **  
** Porrim smiled, her fangs peeking out just a hair, as she walked up the stairs to her friend’s apartment. She was indeed going to meet Roxy and Jane, though Jane was visiting John, Mr. Egbert and Nana instead, though she would be kept abreast of the whole situation. 

**Me: Alright, o+ur ido+it’s are o+n their date.**

**Wizard: ogm yaaaaaaas!!**

**Wizard: *omg. Gahh auto correct, stop fucking with my words!**

**Crabby: JESUS. FUCKING FINALLY, THEY WERE TAKING FOREVER TO GET TO THIS POINT.**

**Cro+w Bo+y** **: well, to be fair, cronus and kurloz are both a little stupid about this. like, i’ve seen rock that formed thousands of years ago that’s less dense than those two. i’m not 100% sure that they’re not just fucking with us either cause that sounds like a joke they’d both get in on**

**Wind So+ck: Hahahaha, that’d be a pretty good joke though, gotta admit.**

**Gamz: nOpE mY bRo ReAlLy aIn’T tHaT gOoD wItH rOmaNcE aNd ShIt, So He’S pReTtY ObLiViOuS. kInDa FuNnY iF yOu AsK mE.**

**Me:** **Yes, and while it is hysterical to+ watch them circle each o+ther like there is so+me kind o+f prize to+ be wo+n, I’m a bit fed up.**

**Crabby: HONESTLY, THEY FUCKING CIRCLE EACH OTHER LIKE THE WORLDS MOST POINTLESS AND INANE DANCE EVER CREATED. IT’S LIKE A BAD ROM-COM COME TO LIFE AND THEY’RE RIGHT IN THE FUCKING MIDDLE OF IT, DRAGGING THE REST OF US INTO THIS GODDAMN CLUSTERFUCK OF A RELATIONSHIP AS THEY TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT. AND HONESTLY, I’M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT HOW LONG IT’S TAKEN THEM TO ACTUALLY SIT THEIR ASSES DOWN AND YOU KNOW, TALK TO EACH OTHER!**

**Hive Mind: well 2hiit, took them long enough. Diid we have a bet goiing on how long iit’d take to get to now?**

**Sweaty Highbl00d:** **D -- > N0, you did n0t. At least, you did n0t t0 my current kn0wledge.  
** **  
** **Wild Wo+man: nope! :B we don’t have a bet going on THAT. Though, Kankri did get the 180$ on how long we’d thought it’d take for them them kiss.** **  
** **  
** **Chatter Bo+x: I split that m9ney evenly with Kanaya, as she had a similar 6et as I, thank y9u very much. And yes, I kn9w they’re 9n a date, Cr9nus has 6een having a l9w grade panic attack a69ut it this wh9le week.**

**Cro+w Bo+y: shit, that’s what he was so worked up over? damn guess i really don’t know my bro that well…**

**Seagull: To be fair, he’d been hiding it fairly well.**

Porrim snickered to herself as she knocked on Roxy’s door. She hadn’t even told them the best news yet. The door opened before she finished knocking and Roxy’s beaming grin met her.   
  
“Hey girl, come in! I want the juicy details!” she was dressed in a pink knit sweater with a black cat on the sleeve, courtesy of Rose, and a short grey skirt and black leggings. Her hair was clipped back from her face and Porrim had to bite back a flirty comment or six. Instead, she smiled and followed Roxy inside the apartment, closing the door behind her and taking off her still slightly snowy boots.   
  
“Thank you for letting me come over, and Kaliri and Amaria say hi. I thought Rose and Kanaya could use some alone time,” she wriggled her eyebrows, making the other woman burst out into a fit of giggles.   
  
“Rosey’s been looking forward to her date-day with Kanaya, so I can tell ya, big sister to big sister, it was probably a good idea,” she grinned, walking over to the couch and flopping down, tugging apart the blanket nest she’d created to make space for Porrim. “Now, deets, woman!!”

Porrim laughed and walked over to the couch, grinning like a predator. “Well,” she dragged the word out, sitting gracefully beside her friend and tugging some of the blanket up. “I could tell you how much I absolutely love the new bookshelf and cat tree you and Jane have installed,” she said, nodding over to the opposite wall.

Jane and Roxy’s apartment was almost identical to her’s, Kanaya and Rose’s, just a little bit smaller for two people. The large front living area, kitchen right off to the left of them with a low wall creating a kind of bar top. To the right was a hall that lead to the bathroom and their room, as well as the guest room should anyone stay over. The living room had three bookshelves, all of varying sizes, each filled with books, which varied from recipes to true crime novels, and the TV set up was a table that had open shelves underneath of it, where the couple kept their gaming systems, video games and dvds. Across the whole apartment were cat toys, a new climbing tree that had four different levels and at least two of them were boxes. Two pairs of bright amber and green eyes stared back at her from the lower box.

“It’s so cozy in here,” she teased and burst into a fit of laughter as Roxy whapped her with a pillow.   
  
“Stop teasing, damn it! And,” _whap._ “give,” _whump._ “me,” _pluf._ “the details woman!”

Porrim caught the pillow and plucked it out of Roxy’s grip, and though the blonde was attempting to look stern she couldn’t stop her own smile. She sighed dramatically then grinned.   
  
“Alright. Well, Kurloz told me yesterday, because he was also fretting over all of this like he couldn’t decide what to believe, that the only real thing he knew about his and Cronus’ relationship was that they weren’t sure what they felt. But,” she held up her fingers when Roxy looked like she was going to interrupt. “That he was pretty sure that he knew he was flush for Cronus, and that he was fairly certain that if Cronus wasn’t flush for him, he at least cared _deeply_ about him, beyond a platonic or pale way.”   
  
Roxy’s face broke out into a large grin and she squealed, hugging a pillow and burying her face in it to try and contain her excitement. It didn’t exactly work, but Porrim didn’t mind. Now, she just had to tell the others, if they would stop for two minutes for her to talk. The conversation had carried on rapidly and she scrolled down to the most recent messages.   
  
**Meo+wlin: ~(=^. .^) < OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!! GIF: HEART EYES **

**  
** **Crabby: MEULIN, YOU KNOW YOU CAN JUST ADD THE GIF IN, RIGHT?**

**Meo+wlin: (=^ω^=) < OH, I KNOW! :3 MY PHONE IS JUST WEIRD WITH THEM SO IT MAKES IT EASIER TO JUST STRAIGHT UP WRITE OUT THE GIF. I NEED TO GET IT FIXED. **

**Licking Lawyer: H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H3!! TH1S 1S TRULY D3L1C1OUS 1NFORM4T1ON!**

**Rad Skater: yooooo!! k4nny, wh4t’d you do to g3t your mo1r41l to go on 4 d4t3 w1th Kurly?**

**Chatter Bo+x: I simply t9ld him that it w9uld 6e a g99d way t9 gauge h9w c9mf9rta6le he is with his** **em9ti9ns i** **n a real life sceneri9 and that I w9uld 6e ready t9 c9me get him sh9uld I need t9. And at this p9int, I feel attempting to get y9u all to st9p using that ridicul9us nickname is p9intless s9 I will n9 l9nger c9mment 9n its usage.**

**Crabby: SOMEONE FUCKING SLAP ME. LIKE, SERIOUSLY, SLAP ME ACROSS THE FACE WITH A FISH. I CANNOT *BELIEVE* I JUST READ WHAT I DID. WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE PAIN IN THE ASS I CALL A HATCHMATE?**

**Chatter Bo+x: I am still myself, Karkat. I just rec9gnize the inefficency that were my attempts to get every9ne t9 use my pr9per name and at this p9int, I 6elieve I have st9pped giving a shit.** **  
** **  
** **Crabby: ………. HOLY *FUCK*. YOU BROKE. I THINK YOU ACTUALLY BROKE MENTALLY, WHAT THE ACTUAL BULGE FUCKING SHIT.**

**Cro+w Bo+y: well that’s not something I expected at all**

**Wild Wo+man: oh no!! is Kankri sick?? :(** **  
** **  
** **Chatter Bo+x: I am perfectly fine, thank y9u f9r the c9ncern. 6ut I have simply gr9wn tired 9f c9rrecting all 9f y9u when y9u use that nickname, s9 I shall refrain. And I 6elieve we were discussing my m9rail and his p9tential matespritship with Kurl9z?** **  
** **  
** **Me:** **Thank yo+u Kankri. No+w, as far as Kurlo+z has to+ld me, thro+ugh all o+f his fretting and wo+rry, is that the o+nly real thing he knew abo+ut his and Cro+nus’ relatio+nship was that they weren’t sure what they felt. BUT that he was pretty sure that he knew he was flush for Cro+nus, and that if Cro+nus wasn’t flush for him, he cared DEEPLY abo+ut Kurlo+z. And no+t in a plato+nic o+r pale manner.**

**Fish Puns: what the shell happened here give me a second i need to catch up**

**Hive Mind: holy 2hiit!!! well damn, who’2 gonna be clo2e2t now to wiinniing the bet?**

**Indiana Megido+: 0_0 0h my. this is really quite interesting turn 0f events. I didn’t think it w0uld actually happen th0ugh**

**Anime Megido+: hahahahahahaha**

**English Adventure: Christ on a bike!! That’s wonderful news! I’m golly happy for those two, they do seem to be a little oblivious to these things. I was starting to worry that they were never going to see the light at the end of the tunnel. So to speak, of course.** **  
** **  
** **Seagull: Well I’ll be damned. Looks like I owe Jane fifteen bucks…**

**Bumble Bee: H4H4H4H4HH4H4, 1 G07 0N3 83773R 4 4LL 0F Y0U 8008S.**

**Me: Oh?**

**Bumble Bee: L0Z H45 833N K33P1NG M3 UPD473D 7HR0UGH H15 D473 W17H CR0, R1GH7? W3LL, H3 G4V3 CR0 H1S J4CK37 4ND N0W 7H3Y’R3 G01NG 70 G37 50M37H1NG 70 347. 1M WR1GGL1NG MY 3Y38R0W5 RN.**

**Anime Megido+: can we have a bet about how long it takes them to fuck?**

**Me:** **No+.**

**Chatter Bo+x: A6s9lutely n9t.**

**Kitten: ::33 *AC stalks into the cat and reads over the log, and let’s out a mighty shout of victory!* This is purrfect! Oh, I need to update my shipping wall! Meowlin, where did the paint go?**

**Meo+wlin: (=^. .^=) < ON THE TOP SHELF. **

**Kitten: ::33 Thank you!**

Porrim chuckled and sighed, relaxing into the couch as Roxy looked at her, pillow smooshed into the lower half of her face.   
  
“Yes?” she purred, grinning.   
  
“Imma text Cro and see how my bb’s doin,” she grinned. “You wanna read over my shoulder?”   
  
Porrim’s eyes lit up and she grinned. “You know that if Kurloz ever finds out, he’s going to call us both nosy gossip hounds and then probably have Mituna lock our phones,”

“Eh, like I couldn’t get them unstuck again,” Roxy said, waving her hand. “Now come on, girl. We’ve got facts to learn!!”

Porrim giggled and settled beside her friend and leaned over a little so she could read as well.   
  
**VWizard Hacker: Crrrrrrooooooooonnnnnnos!!! BB, what’re you doing?** **  
**

**Me: Currently out vwith Kurloz. Can vwe talk later, Rox?**

**VWizard Hacker: sure thang!**

**VWizard Hacker: *thing el sign, stupid autocorrect**

**VWizard Hacker: Enjoy your date!! *wonk wonk***

**Me: It’s not a date!**

**VWizard Hacker: Reeeeeaaaaaallllyyyy? So then why’re ya trying to get back to it so fast, hmnnn??? I smell love in the air!**

**Me: Fuck off LaLonde.** **  
** **  
** **VWizard Hacker: Ok, ok, I’m sorry huney. That was meen.**

 **VWizard Hacker: *honey *mean** **  
** **  
** **VWizard Hacker: But for reel here, you like him don’t ya?**

**Me:.... Yeah**

**VWizard Hacker: So then, it’s a not-date date-date!**

**Me: VWhat?**

**VWizard Hacker: el sigggnnnn. Look at that. You got another spanish sigh out of me, Cro. A not-date date-date means that you’re on a date-date but not calling it a date! DUH.**

**Me: It’s not a date!!**

**VWizard Hacker: Yes, it is. I will fight you on this, don’t think I won’t.** **  
** **  
** **Me: Urghh, vwhy are you like this?** **  
** **  
** **VWizard Hacker: because i’m right. now, go out there and woo that man! er.. troll!**

**Me: I’m gonna turn off my phone, I swear I am.**

**VWizard Hacker: ok ok, I’ll stop. Let me know how it goes, bb!! ttyl!**

Cronus snorted and shook his head, putting his phone back in his pocket and stuffing his hands back into his pockets. He was wearing Kurloz’s jacket, the same one that the troll had given him on New Years. He’d been a little cold, even with his layers and Kurloz pulled the hoodie off and held it out for him to take, a dark purple sweater on underneath the slightly frumpy hoodie. Cronus had taken it after a little back and forth and was now happily wrapped up in the hoodie, his wool sweater and a flannel shirt. His jeans were a little thin, but then he’d chosen his skinny jeans instead of his more sensible lined jeans, but his feet were warm in his thick socks and heavy boots. He looked around the small Starbucks and sighed.

They’d gone to see a movie earlier, which had been nice because it required zero need to talk but he couldn’t deny he’d wound his fingers with Kurloz’s where they’d rested on the arm of the chair between them. They didn’t let go until the lights started to turn on, and Cronus, for the life of him, couldn’t remember what the movie had been about for a good few minutes when Kurloz flashed him a small, real smile when Cronus squeezed his fingers, squeezing back. It was like his brain had short circuited.

Thankfully, the other seemed to have a plan and had suggested walking to a nearby Starbucks to get something to eat and drink and then maybe going to a bookstore or music store. Cronus eagerly leapt at the idea and that lead him to where they were now. Kurloz had gone up to get their orders, leaving him tucked into a corner by the heating, which made him sigh in contentment.   
  
“You all here, bro?”

He jolted out of his thoughts and looked up. There was Kurloz, two tall, steaming drinks in his hands, nose faintly purple from the cold. The snow that had fallen on his sweater in the short walk to the Starbucks had melted away, leaving a few dark spots on the dark purple wool. His hair was a little damp as well, but he didn’t seem to mind. His pants were dry, and his boots left a snowmelt trail from their table to the counter and back again. He was frowning a little, and his bright purple eyes were sharp with worry.   
  
“Yeah, I’m all good,” he said with a smile, taking one of the offered hot chocolates. He didn’t like Starbucks nearly as much as he liked Kurloz’s cafe, in fact he preferred to avoid it if at all possible. The drinks were okay, but way overpriced and it was way too loud for the small space. Though it was a little more manageable today, given that it was nearly empty what with how cold it was outside. The only people who came out in the snow on a weekend were people on dates, those rare few looking to escape their house for a few hours, and kids that wanted to play in the park or in their lawns. Kurloz sat next to him and effectively worked as a noise barrier, even though the Starbucks wasn’t terribly busy, it was still small enough to make the people that were in there sound louder in the limited space.   
  
“Careful, shit’s hot,” Kurloz warned him before taking his lid off and blowing on the steaming liquid. It smelled like he’d gotten tea of some kind, something earthy.   
  
“What’d ya get?” Cronus asked as he used the cup to warm his hands, flexing his fingers. 

“Green tea. I don’t like the coffee here, shit’s nasty.” Kurloz said with a frown. “Not to mention stupidly overpriced.”

Cronus chuckled and shook his head. “VWell damn, looks like we agree on that too. What’d ya think of the movie?”

“It was pretty good,” Kurloz said with a shrug. “Could’ve used a little more plot and less gore, though.”   
  
“Don’t you like horror movies, though?” Cronus asked, feeling awkward and casting around for any memory of the plot. He came up with a few gory deaths and a detailed mental map of Kurloz’s horns and how pretty he looked, the light cast from the movie flickering over his dark grey skin and making his eyes glow a rich purple. He could clearly remember wanting to tug Kurloz down and kiss him senseless.   
  
He nodded. “Yeah, but usually when they’re classics. Why? What’d you think of it?”   
  
‘ _I can’t even remember the god damn plot, I was too busy staring at you and trying to keep from making out with you in the middle of the theater,_ ’ Cronus thought, thankful his cheeks were already red from the cold.

Aloud, he said, “I don’t really remember it, must of fallen asleep,” and took a drink of his hot chocolate. And immediately regretted it. It was ridiculously hot and he could feel his lips and parts of his tongue burning before he managed to swallow.   
  
“Owowowowowow,” his hissed, fanning at his face as he hissed through his teeth.

‘ _Way to go, genius._ ’ he thought as the pain slowly numbed.   
  
“I warned you,” Kurloz pointed out, smirking a little, his eyes seeming to glow ever so slightly as he took a few sips of his green tea. But when Cronus blinked, they were back to normal and he pushed it away, fanning at his mouth still and flipping Kurloz off with his other hand.

“Just go get me something cool, asshole,” Cronus scowled half heartedly.

Kurloz just chuckled and set down his cup to sign,   
  
_The best way to treat burn marks isn’t with something freezing cold. That’ll make them worse._ _  
_ _  
_ “Then what do you suggest?” Cronus snapped, feeling like he was being made fun of. He stopped fanning at his mouth as the burning sensation faded.   
  
Kurloz frowned a little and hummed, then leaned in and kissed him. His lips were warmer that normal and Cronus could taste green tea. Kurloz pulled away slowly, a shit eating grin on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes, which were a little wider than before and he looked almost as shocked as Cronus. Cronus felt like his brain wasn’t working anymore, simply lost in a circuit of,

‘ _Oh my god, he kissed me in public, he kissed me and I really liked it, he kissed me he kissed me he kissed me,_ ’

It took him a few moments to recompose himself, and he blinked in surprise at Kurloz, who still looked like he was shocked he’d just done that. A few other patrons were giving them looks, a few were disapproving frowns -- either because they were both men, or because he was human and Kurloz was troll -- while others were grinning and talking quietly among themselves. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of blonde hair and familiarly notched horns, but they were gone the moment he blinked and he looked back at Kurloz.   
  
“VWhat vwas that for c-chief?” Cronus managed, trying not to stutter and failing.   
  
“I wanted to kiss you,” Kurloz managed, shrugging and his shoulders twitched like he was restraining himself from slamming his head into the table.   
  
“Huh… Well, it-uh… It wasn’t too bad, heh… Uhm..” he looked at the table, worrying at his cup. “Do you wanna go walk around the park or somethin?” he asked suddenly.

“Yeah.” Kurloz said, looking relieved for a moment before he picked up his green tea and took another drink.   
  
Cronus grabbed his hot chocolate and looked at Kurloz’s fingers, which were a little purple. On a human, that’d be cause for worry, but for Kurloz, it just meant his hands had been heated by the cup. His fingerless gloves covered up to his second knuckle, crocheted black yarn it looked like with stark white finger bones. His tattooed fingers seamlessly continued the bone pattern up to his fingernails, where they ended in sharp black claws. Kurloz got up first and stepped aside a bit to give him room to move, then lead the way out into the cold afternoon.

The sidewalks were clear and the roads had been salted down, the snow piled up in slowly melting slush piles. But, that didn’t seem to matter with the new snowfall slowly coming down, small, thin flakes that melted on contact with skin. Though, they lingered a little longer on Kurloz, and Cronus couldn’t help the faint giggle that bubbled out of his throat. They walked side by side for a few minutes in easy silence before Cronus tapped Kurloz’s hand with his own. A beat, then Kurloz tapped him back, gently. He took a drink of his hot chocolate and threaded their fingers together, then took a step closer to Kurloz and stuffed both of their hands into his large hoodie pocket.   
  
“What?” Cronus asked when Kurloz gave him a confused look. “Ya hand looked cold, the other’s got a cup of tea to keep it warm. I’m vwarmer than you are, I don’t wanna see ya turn purple.” he took a sip of his drink to cover a need to respond when Kurloz bumped him gently and squeezed his hand.   
  
“Thanks,” he said softly, smiling at the shorter human, watching a red blush creep towards his ears.   
  
“You’re vwe-welcome,” Cronus managed, giving him a small shrug and a smile.   
  
They walked in a more comfortable silence, Cronus all but chugging the remains of his hot chocolate and tossing the empty cup in a trash can. Kurloz drank his tea slower, finishing it as they reached the park. There were a few people there, from the cars parked in the lot and the fresh prints the slowly falling snow had yet to cover. Cronus felt Kurloz squeeze his fingers and tug, not trying to get his hand free but guide him a little. He let himself be pulled along and leaned a little more against Kurloz, feeling an odd sense of peace. It was nice, calming. He couldn’t see or hear any of the other people out there, it felt like it was just them.   
  
He grinned a little and snickered as he spotted a familiar structure. “Damn, lookit where vwe wound up. That gazebo started all of this, feels like.”   
  
Kurloz snorted, amused. “Yeah, I think it did.” he tugged a little more and pulled Cronus along with him towards it. He went willingly, keeping pace easily, though he noticed how Kurloz shortened his steps just a little bit so he didn’t have to speed up too much to keep up. Inside the wooden structure, it was a little warmer, oddly, but Cronus plopped down on one of the benches and sighed, content. Kurloz, by default, sat beside him and wrangled their hands out of the hoodie pocket and let them rest on his thigh, rubbing at Cronus’ knuckles with a calloused thumb.   
  
“...Have you had a good day, Kurloz?” Cronus asked tentatively and Kurloz hummed.   
  
“Yeah. I have. What about you, Cronus?”   
  
His lips twitched up into a bit of a smile and he nodded. “Yeah, I’ve had a good day.” he lifted his free hand and breathed against it, rubbing at his cheeks and nose. “Kinda cold though, but it’s so damn cold it burns,”   
  
Kurloz let go of his hand to tug the hood of the hoodie up and covered Cronus’ head and shielded his face from most of the cold, then wrapped his arm around his shoulders and tugged him close, holding his hand again. He felt the smaller human shift against his side and looked at him, raising an eyebrow.   
  
“...I really want to kiss you again,” he whispered, beautifully foggy-grey blue eyes staring into his own bright purple.   
  
“...Been wanting to kiss you all day,” Kurloz managed, voice a little hoarse.   
  
Cronus grinned a bit and murmured, “So that kiss earlier wasn’t really a kiss?”

“Can I claim a redo?” Kurloz asked, the hint of a smile playing at his lips.   
  
“Just kiss me,” Cronus said, smiling.

His lips felt like they were on fire when Kurloz finally leaned in and kissed him. Their lips were a little chapped from the cold, and the angle wasn’t perfect. Their noses bumped and Cronus couldn’t help the snort of amusement that escaped and Kurloz grinned against his lips. Cronus didn’t even have time to pull away properly before Kurloz was pulling him up and into his lap, wrapping his arms around his back and holding him.  
  
“This okay with you, Cronus?” Kurloz’s voice seemed to fill the whole gazebo even though he was barely making a sound, like he was terrified of fucking up.

He couldn’t stop the shiver that went down his spine and made a soft noise even as Kurloz frowned, taking his shiver as being cold.   
  
“This is fine,” Cronus managed, mentally high fiving himself when his voice didn’t shake. He wrapped his arms around Kurloz’s neck and leaned in, tilting his head and kissing him, humming against his lips.  
  
Kurloz’s hands tightened before they relaxed and he made a soft trilling purr in the base of his throat as he kissed Cronus, feeling like he was high. Every part of him felt like it was disconnected, floating in the most amazing, indescribable way. He couldn’t put words to it if he tried, so he settled for kissing Cronus senseless. He tilted his head a little to the side, getting a better angle and ran his tongue over Cronus’ bottom lip for a moment. He smirked as he felt another shiver and Cronus let him in and the kiss became so much more. He hummed, eyes closing as he tried to remember to keep breathing as he explored Cronus’ mouth, pulling away every now and then to peck at his lips, making Cronus lean back in and start up the deeper kisses. He laughed into a kiss, feeling something bright and warm in his chest. He didn’t pay attention to where his hands had wandered. Over too many layers, down his back to his hips, up his sides and then up to his shoulders, holding him tight.   
  
He grinned and nipped at his lips, careful of his teeth and Cronus leaned in with a challenge in his eyes, eager and happy. The kiss was faster, more intense than the other ones, both of them pushing themselves to be as close as possible so not to lose any point of contact. Kurloz ran a hand up from Cronus’ shoulders and up the back of his neck, just holding him as he kissed him senseless. He was so lost in the haze that he almost missed the way Cronus’ lips stopped being as eager, or how he was rigid against him and it took a moment to realize what it was.   
  
“Shit,” Kurloz hissed, pulling away from Cronus’ lips and dropping his hand to his middle back. He felt like he’d been burned. “Are you okay? Fuck, I forgot,” he trailed off, unsure if what he said next would make him feel worse.

“I-I’m fine,” Cronus mumbled, shuddering, and this time Kurloz was sure it wasn’t from the cold or pleasure. “Just… Don’t do that again, unless ya tell me, kay?”

Kurloz nodded and kept his hands still on his back, not daring to move them an inch. “What do you want me to do, Cronus?” He wanted to comfort him, he could see the way his eyes were starting to glaze over but he had no idea if his comfort was welcome, or if it’d even help.

“Just… Stay here? Please?” Cronus mumbled, laying so his forehead rested against Kurloz’s shoulder. “I don’t wanna think.”

“Alright,” he whispered, shifting his arms so he could hug the smaller man close and tried to remember to not squeeze him too tight. The forced slow breathing right before his ear, the way he could feel Cronus’ arms shift and tense before he relaxed, the cold point of his nose pressed into the side of his neck and how he shivered every now and then made him feel worse.

‘ _Way to go, you fucking moron. Couldn’t think past your own damn_ _bulge_ _and probably wound up triggering him- God, I’ve spent way too much time with Kankri._ ’ He sighed and rested his chin on Cronus’ shoulder and closed his eyes.   
  
“Do you wanna hear a joke?” He asked suddenly and Cronus let out a shaky laugh.   
  
“Sure.”   
  
“What do you call a bee that’s having a bad hair day?” he bit back a chuckle. This one was Mituna’s favorite.

“Dunno. What?”   
  
He didn’t take the single syllables as an insult, though he was relieved he was able to get two words out of him. “A frisbee,” he said, grinning as he felt Cronus’ shoulders shake and a soft snicker muffled in the side of his his neck.   
  
“How much does a pirate pay for corn?”   
  
“By the ear?” Cronus asked, and Kurloz could feel the smile on his lips brushing against his neck.

“Nope. A buccaneer.”

That one made Cronus snort with amusement and a chuckle bubbled out of his throat. “Oh my god, that’s just bad.”   
  
“Well duh. Bad jokes are the best. Speaking of, knock knock,”   
  
Cronus was fully smiling now and he mumbled, “Who’s there?” against Kurloz’s neck. His lips were almost like brands compared to how cold Kurloz was, but they were still colder than they should have been. He pushed that thought away for a moment and said,   
  
“Juno,”   
  
Cronus pulled away to look at him, looking a little puzzled. Either he hadn’t heard the joke before or he was having trouble figuring out the punchline.   
  
“Juno who?”   
  
Kurloz chuckled, “Juno any bad jokes yourself?”   
  
Cronus laughed, shoulders finally relaxing and he looked more like himself for a moment. Kurloz wished he had a hand free so he could take a picture of him. The way he looked so relaxed, the scrunch of his nose and how he didn’t seem to notice the occasional snort between his laughter. It might not have been that funny, but then it seemed like the stress he’d been feeling was releasing itself in a different way, not that he’d complain. He liked seeing the smaller man so open.

“Okay, okay,” Cronus managed, taming his laughter to giggles. His eyes practically glittered with amusement. “Why vwouldn’t the shrimp share his treasure?”   
  
Kurloz tilted his head a little. He hadn’t heard this one. “Why?”   
  
“Because he was a little shellfish,”   
  
He chuckled, biting back the louder laugh that was pushing to break out of his throat. In the small space, it’d hurt a lot more than not. The joke itself wasn’t terribly funny, but the way Cronus looked when he told it, the infectious laughter and the bright shine in his eyes made him a little giddy.

‘ _Messiahs I am so gone for this man,_ ’ the thought didn’t bother him anymore, but left him feeling a little warm and aching. He already knew what Cronus thought about romance, and though he wanted to _try_ to make something work, he didn’t want to push so far he lost him forever. It felt like he was in limbo, not that Cronus knew about his feelings, or at least their depth. He was pretty sure. He sighed and leaned more of his weight against the gazebo side, calming down. He frowned as Cronus cuddled back up to him and shuddered.   
  
“I think we should get going to someplace warmer,” he commented, looking out at the snow that was starting to come down a little harder. It likely wouldn’t stick, but it was already getting colder. He could see his breath, the faint grey whisps worrying.   
  
Cronus nodded but made no move to get up.   
  
“You okay?” Kurloz asked him, frown deepening as his brows creased slightly in worry.   
  
“Uh… Yeah, I’m fine. Just, I don’t think I can really vwalk right now? My legs are seriously starting to hurt from the cold, or I’ve been sittin’ like this too long. Some walkin’ around will likely help,”   
  
Kurloz sighed through his nose. “No, I’d rather get us out of this soon as I can. How long have your legs been hurting?”   
  
“Maybe a few minutes?” 

“Okay. Shift over and stand on the bench beside me. I’m carrying you, brother.”   
  
“I can walk just fine! My legs’re just stiff!” He protested, pulling away to look at him. Kurloz gave him a raised eyebrow and an unimpressed look. “I-Fine,” he grumbled and moved to do as he’d been told.   
  
“I’m a Purple, brother. I ain’t exactly gonna warm you up very well unless we’re insulated in blankets.” Kurloz pointed out, standing and wincing as his own knees creaked from being in one place too long. But, he turned his back to Cronus and waited for him to get on. “You gonna stand there all day?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.   
  
“Fuck off,” Cronus muttered but he climbed onto his back, wrapping his arms around Kurloz’s neck and his thighs rested at the tops of his hips. He tightened his hold and let out a soft squeak when Kurloz’s arms wrapped up underneath his knees and jolted him up more.   
  
“There we go,” he said and with that, started off at a quick pace. “I’m taking us back to my apartment. Gamzee’s out with Karkat and Dave for the day, so you can get a shower to warm back up and not worry about him walking in,” he set a steady clip down the sidewalk, not jogging, but a fast speed walk. Cronus put his chin on Kurloz’s shoulder, his mane of hair too thick . Plus, it tickled his nose.   
  
“Does he usually walk in when you’re takin showers?” he asked, raising his eyebrow even though he knew it was likely that Kurloz couldn’t see it.   
  
“Mnhm. When he’s exhausted and just woke up on a weekend? Yeah. That and we don’t really care about personal space. He sometime’s ends up sleeping in my bed with me to try and keep nightmares away, or he’ll drape himself across me like a cat and doodle. We use each other as a canvas, kinda fun.”   
  
Cronus smiled a little. “Heh… Younger siblings. Or, hatchmates I guess.”   
  
“You were right before. We’re directly related. Old man’s genes in us both, plus had the same mother.”   
  
“Wait, really?”   
  
“True as day. Same for the rest of our group, though most of them share only one parent far as I know, Meulin, Kanny, Karkat, and Nepeta, Equius and Horrus aside.”   
  
Cronus fell silent and Kurloz slowed down a bit to look at him out of the corner of his eye.   
  
“I study troll culture and I will never get used to that,” He finally said and Kurloz snorted, picking his pace back up.   
  
“You’ve known all of us for how many years now? And that’s what surprises you?”   
  
“VWell, I guessed but I’m not exactly gonna go round asking about who pailed who. That is not somethin I ever wanna know.” Softer, he grumbled, “Gods know I’ve heard Mari and Kali goin at it when I stay the night sometimes, and I vwalked in on my Pops and Kali gettin their mack on,”   
  
Kurloz laughed, careful not to jostle Cronus around too much. “Shit, brother, seems like you’ve already got the experience.”

“Fuck. You,” he said pointedly, squeezing his thighs around his hips, though it didn’t really do much.   
  
Kurloz just chuckled and picked the pace backup, this time with a sense of urgency. He could feel eyes on them and he didn’t like it. Cronus clung a little tighter, letting out another _eep_ when his steps ate up the ground underneath them, almost the point of jogging. Cronus gritted his teeth together so not to bite his tongue or hurt his teeth as he was jostled every now and then. Thankfully, at the pace Kurloz had set, it wasn’t too long until they were at his apartment and he knelt down, letting Cronus off his back gently.   
  
“How’re your legs feeling?” he asked, not looking at Cronus and instead scanning the street for any sign or life. The fact that it was practically deserted made his metaphorical hackles rise. Given how high up on the spectrum he was -- and who his father was -- it wasn’t uncommon for people and trolls to try shit, though they usually didn’t come so close to his apartment. He was more worried about Cronus, though, and if something happened, either some troll with a hard on for the hemospectrum or some news reporter looking for a story of some kind, he wasn’t sure what the aftermath would be. He almost growled before he spotted a familiar pair giving him and Cronus a cheeky wave as they left a store. Rose LaLonde and Kanaya Maryam.   
  
“They feel fine… What’s vwrong?” Cronus asked, as if sensing his distress.   
  
Kurloz relaxed and shook his head. “A pair of meddling gossip hounds. Sorry, thought it was somethin’ else, just being paranoid. Let’s get inside and get you warm. You look more like a fucking popsicle.”

Cronus snorted in amusement and looked over his shoulder at the pair, waving to them with a laugh before he walked inside. Kurloz could hear the pair of them laughing to themselves and barely restrained himself from flipping them both off with a ruder gesture and simply flipped them both the bird and followed Cronus into the lobby. He nodded at the lime that was at the front desk, who gave him a two finger salute and a wry grin before she went back to meddling with something in her hands. It looked to be a rubik’s cube, just with a lot more squares than Cronus remembered. He turned and had to jog to catch up to Kurloz, who was waiting at the elevators.   
  
“Your building doesn’t look that different from mine,” he commented as Kurloz pushed the button.   
  
“Less humans live here, so it’s more built for trolls. Bigger rooms, blackout curtains, and most every room has a spot for a recoopracoon if you’ve got one,” he shrugged and gestured for Cronus to get in first as the elevator dinged open.   
  
“Do you have one?” he asked, rubbing his hands on his upper thighs to start helping his blood flow. His legs didn’t feel too numb anymore, not quite frostbite level, but they burned from the cold in the heat of the building.   
  
“Nope,” he popped the ‘P’ and explained when Cronus gave him a confused look. “Gamzee and I haven’t slept i n coons for sweeps now. They made me feel worse and gave me sleep paralysis and well, I think you already know what happened with Gamzee.”   
  
“...He used to eat it, didn’t he? Bits at a time, try and keep his carnie quiet, right?”   
  
Kurloz nodded, crossing his arms. “Yeah. Our old man was so busy with me and my fucked up pan neither of us noticed Gamzee breaking apart. Took him almost killing himself and Nepeta to notice, and that she forgave him at all is astounding.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Gives me a headache thinking about it… I still can’t believe I was that fucking dumb.”

“You caught it in time, though,” Cronus pointed out gently. “Yeah, it was really fucked, but you managed to stop him. He got therapy, got through it and Nepeta was fine. She got treated, went to therapy for a few years herself and they’re back to being friends. She talked to me about it, a while ago. She used to be angry at him, want to tear him apart but then she just found she couldn’t when Gamzee went to properly apologize to her.” he shrugged. “People change, grow and learn from terrible mistakes. Sometimes it takes them almost breaking or hurting those around them to realize that.”

Kurloz blinked and stared at him, unsure how to take that information in. “...I guess you’re right,” he managed after a minute, looking at the doors as they opened. “I guess we’re prime examples of that one,” He looked down when he felt Cronus bump his arm and then take his hand, winding their fingers together and squeezing before he let go and walked out of the elevator. Kurloz was so stunned that the elevator nearly shut on him before he got out into the hall. Cronus snickered and nodded his head.   
  
“So, your place?”   
  
He rolled his eyes but lead Cronus down the hall to his and Gamzee’s apartment, unlocking and opening the door. Th e layout wasn’t too different from Cronus’ apartment, just a bit bigger and sectioned out. The living room was a little more closed off from the kitchen, and the couch was bigger, and the armchair a little more worn in, a few patches here and there. There was a hall to the immediate left, where five doors waited.   
  
“My room’s on the left, at the end of the hall, Gamzee’s on the right. Bathroom is the door next to mine, then you’ve got the washer and dryer in the next closet, and an actual linen closet.” Kurloz explained, chucking off his boots while Cronus took in the living room space, absently taking his shoes off.   
  
The TV was right up against the wall, sitting on a case with glass, or maybe plexi-glass, doors, with dvds, an xbox and a few games inside, as well as the set top box for the tv and dvd player. He looked around a little more, getting used to the space. There was art supplies on every available surface, but it was more picked up than he’d expected, better organized, and a few books scattered around that weren’t haphazardly resting on the bookshelf. Art, from framed photos to canvas works to taped up sketches, was all over the walls, though he didn’t expect any less from the pair of Capricorns. There was a rug under his feet, stretching from the couch to the middle of the room, passing just past the end of the coffee table, and the rest of the floor was hard wood. In all, it was a nice apartment, and it smelled like incense, baked goods, and something rich and earthy.   
  
“When ya got your fill, go get a shower and toss your clothes in the hall. I’ll toss them in the dryer and leave you some shit to dress in,” Kurloz said, balling up his damp sweater and socks to throw into the dryer.   
  
“Oh-Yeah, right. Okay,” he blushed a little and headed down the hall, pausing a moment. “Should I not use anything or-?”   
  
Kurloz waved his concern away. “You’ll be fine. Pretty sure we don’t have any bleach in the shampoo.” he chuckled at Cronus’ horrified expression. “I’m kidding, brother. Don’t all up and worry. Though, John tried to prank Gamzee once by giving him shampoo with hair dye in it. He seemed to forget that my brother once dyed his hair rainbow for the sheer hell of it. Got more than a few looks,” he snickered at the memory. That’d been an interesting few weeks, to be sure.   
  
Cronus snorted in amusement and rolled his eyes. “Right, well so long as I’m not about to turn purple or some shit, I’ll be fine. You can just leave the clothes outside the door, I’ll grab ‘em when I’m done.”   
  
Kurloz nodded and walked towards his room. “Don’t get grow gills in there,” he called and he smiled when he heard Cronus laugh.   
  
He first opened the closet door with the washer and dryer stacked on top of each other and tossed his damp clothes in, then went to his room to change. He shut the door behind himself and stripped down, tossing everything into his hamper before he went to his dresser and pulled out his favorite pair of black sweatpants and socks, and another skeleton print hoodie from his closet, deciding not to bother with boxers or a shirt. He dressed quickly and stretched, cracking his back and looking around his room. Clothes were tossed across the bed and his curtains were open, letting in the weak sunlight from outside. His bedside table was a mess of papers, pens, his pills, and what looked like an old tea mug. He slowly trailed his eyes to the bookshelf, which was filled with books and sketchbooks, and also a mess, cluttered and disorganized. His desk, just beside it, was probably the only clean part of his room. He didn’t even want to attempt to clean the war zone that was his closet. His hands twitched and he could hear the shower turn on.   
  
“Fuck it,” he grumbled and set into cleaning up his room. It would bother him for the rest of the day if he didn’t, he knew it would. As he folded up clothes, he found his phone charger, laptop, and laptop charger buried in his bed, and his new sketchbook that had quite a few sketches of Cronus in it, which he quickly shut and stuffed under his pillow to deal with later. His closet wasn’t too bad, mostly just a bunch of empty hangers and sloppily hung clothes. He left the already hanging clothes alone, most of them were jackets or nicer shirts, and hung up the rest of his clothes.   
  
‘ _I really am a hoodie whore,_ ’ he chuckled as he hung up yet another hoodie. He’d lost track of how many he’d hung up, but no two were exactly the same, though most had some kind of skeleton print on them. He did have an aesthetic as Porrim would call it. And he was happy to keep it. He let out a content noise when he looked around his room again, this time a little more picked up. He looked at his alarm clock and raised an eyebrow. It’d been twenty minutes, which was a little faster than he’d expected but he could also still hear the shower going. He pursed his lips and grabbed a clean hoodie, thick socks and dark grey sweatpants for Cronus. He paused outside the door and listened for any noise, feeling worry well up. What if he’d slipped and fell-? That train of thought was shut down before it could really start when he heard Cronus humming and he relaxed.   
  
“Clothes are outside the door!” he called, leaving the fresh clothes and picking up the haphazardly folded pile to toss into the dryer. A muffled _thank you!_ reached his ears and he hummed to himself, smiling. He tossed the clothes in and set it for forty minutes, then when to the kitchen to start on some tea. It took another fifteen minutes for Cronus to come out and join him on the couch, where he’d been messing around on his phone, quilt draped over his shoulders and two mugs of tea steaming on the coffee table.     
  
“Did you not have any clean shirts?” Cronus asked as he joined him, tugging on the hoodie.   
  
Kurloz looked up just in time to see the tattoo he’d drawn on Cronus’ side disappear underneath the dark purple hoodie, a rib cage printed on the front and back ribs and spine on the back. The sweatpants were rolled up several times to fit him, but they still trailed and his hands were eaten by the sleeves of the hoodie, making him push them up if he wanted to use his hands. He’d seen a picture of  the tattoo already, Cronus had had Kankri send him a photo the day he’d gotten the ink done, but it still made his chest warm. It took him a beat to say,   
  
“Did you want one?”  
  
Cronus rolled his eyes and sat beside him on the couch, shoulder to shoulder, and grabbed his tea. “This isn’t going to burn me is it?”   
  
“Nah, you’ll be fine. Drink up,” he grinned, taking a sip of his own green tea. “Hope you like mint,”   
  
Cronus hummed as he took a careful sip, then a larger one when he realized it was just this side of hot enough to be warm and not burn him. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, drinking their tea to fill the space . When they were done , Cronus was leaning heavily against Kurloz’s shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind, and instead wrapped his arm around him, tucking him into his side and half covering him with a blanket.   
  
“Wanna watch something?” Kurloz asked him and Cronus shrugged.   
  
“Sure. Long as you don’t mind me falling asleep.”   
  
Kurloz chuckled and in a quick move, had his back against the arm of the couch and Cronus’ back pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped around his ribs and tucking the large quilt around them both. He wormed one hand out to grab the remote while Cronus mentally caught up with what had just happened.   
  
“This is okay, right?” Kurloz asked as he turned the tv on and he felt Cronus nod, shifting around so he was more comfortable. He squirmed a little and wound up with a lap full of human, Cronus laying a little lower on him and his head turned so he could see the screen better.   
  
“Yeah. S’kinda like New Years Eve all over again,” he said, stretching out and wrapping his arms around Kurloz’s neck loosely.   
  
“Good,” he mumbled, turning on Mythbusters and settling in.   
  
They laughed and talked quietly about their own theories about what would happen until that too trailed off. Kurloz wasn’t sure how they wound up like they were currently, Cronus lying chest to chest, or torso, with him, his ear pressed over his pusher and arms wrapped around his shoulders. Kurloz’s fingers were playing with his hair, scratching at his scalp every now and then, and he couldn’t help but occasionally glance down at the scars visible on his neck, the folds of the hood not hiding them nearly well enough, but Cronus didn’t seem to mind. He hummed and ran his thumb over and over along the two parallel scars on his temple, but he didn’t ask how he got them, not when Cronus had tensed when he found them. He rubbed his thumb over them and murmured,   
  
“Tell me later,” and felt the other relax against him once more.   
  
He wasn’t sure when the deep, rusty purr started up in his chest, but it was nice, and Cronus seemed to like it. It was relaxing, peaceful. And something beyond flush or pale. He didn’t try to think about it, just relaxed and basked in the ease of the moment.   
  
“Hey, Kurloz,”

He grunted and opened an eye, looking down at Cronus. “What’s up?”   
  
“Know anymore jokes?”   
  
“Bit outta left field, ain’t it?” he asked, but he wouldn’t say no if it helped.   
  
Cronus shrugged and looked a little embarrassed. “Maybe. But, I like hearing ya laugh, and the show ain’t really been doin that.” he paused and mumbled, “Forget it, it vwas a stupid question.”   
  
Kurloz hummed and rubbed at Cronus' back for a moment, mulling it over in his head. “What did the larger bucket say to the smaller one?”   
  
Cronus made a soft noise but didn’t look up.

"Lookin' a little pail there," he grinned to himself, waiting for the inevitable fluster. It was his favorite joke to tell.

Cronus was quiet and he looked down, worried. He was met with grey-blue doe eyes that made his blood pusher flip and turn itself inside out.   
  
“VWell, at least wait till the third date. I am a classy Southern Belle, I vwill have you know good sir,”

Kurloz managed a fairly good impression of a blackberry, every inch of his face, up to the tips of his ears to the base of his neck, were dark purple.   
  
“I-That’s not- Fuck me, it’s a joke-” he stammered.

Cronus couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him and he buried his face in Kurloz's chest. "Holy shit! Calm down, I was teasin' ya! Ya should see your face-!"

The purr was still rumbling away in the trolls chest, so he knew Kurloz wasn’t actually upset, but his face was priceless, though he felt a little bad. He stretched up and, still chuckling, kissed him sweetly.   
  
“I literally couldn’t pass that up.” he snickered as Kurloz pouted at him. “I’ve spent years with a pair of Striders, plus I’m an asshole. The sex joke couldn’t be left unsaid.”

“You’re awful,” he grumbled, but he pulled him back in for a kiss, then went down to his jaw, nipping and kissing as he went, careful not to linger near his neck. He could feel Cronus squirming in his arms, not to get away though, which he filed away for later.  
  
“Oi, slow down there chief,” he heard Cronus pant and he hummed, pulling away, rubbing at his lower back, itching to dip underneath his hoodie. But, Cronus was looking flustered and he didn’t want to push him.   
  
“Sorry,” he said and made a slightly startled noise when Cronus kissed him again, slow and sweet, almost tentative. When he pulled away, a blush was dusting his face, making his freckles stand out.

‘ _He almost looks like we fucked,_ ’ came the distant thought, what with his hair mussed from the shower and drying, curling and loose, his lips kissed and the faintly dopey smile tugging at his mouth. Not to mention to faint red marks Kurloz had added along his jaw, which made his purr a little louder. He looked tussled. And, privately, Kurloz wanted to wreck him, see him gone with bliss and out of his mind. He quickly shut _that_ particular string of thoughts down so not to pop a wriggly in his pants. He did not need to start some kind of twisted hula dance in his sweatpants, especially not when Cronus was pressed hip to hip with him.   
  
‘ _Wow, that killed my mood fast,_ ’ he thought with an odd mixture of amusement and shock. ‘ _...I really need to stop spending so much time with the Striders, I’m starting to think like them._ _I think that’s a sign that I need to get new friends,_ ’

“It’s fine,” Cronus was saying and that brought him back to the moment. He was resting more weight on him, tangling their legs together absently and Kurloz wasn’t sure if this was because the other was so tactile, or because he was interested in a heavy make out session. He tamed his thoughts back regardless and forced himself to focus on what Cronus was saying.   
  
“I uh... I vwas wwonderin if ya wanted to do this again? Like, soon?”   
  
“Do what? This?” he tugged at the quilt for emphasis. “I don’t have a complaint,”

“No, I mean,” he grumbled a bit and buried his face in Kurloz’s chest for a moment, trying to recompose himself. “I mean,” he managed, lifting his head again, “Go on a date. Again. VWith me.”

“Did you think I didn’t want to?” Kurloz asked bluntly, giving him a look. “I wasn’t sure what the fuck this was, to be honest,” he looked down, sheepish. “So, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to go on another date with me either.”  
  
Cronus went quiet then snorted and laughed, laying his head on Kurloz’s chest, holding him tight. Kurloz joined him, snickering quietly.

“We’re really _really_ bad at this,” Cronus managed when he calmed down again, smiling at him.   
  
Kurloz chuckled and shrugged. “Probably. But, sure as fuck ain’t gonna be boring.”   
  
Cronus hummed and smiled, tentative and small. “Yeah,” he yawned and tugged the quilt up around them a little more and closed his eyes. “You’re a lot warmer now,”   
  
“Pretty sure that’s what’s called insulation. And most of that is thanks to your heat. Speaking of, we should probably get some food,” Kurloz hummed, petting his hair. He felt more than heard the chuckle from Cronus as he cuddled against him, wrapping his arms underneath his armpits and hugging him like a teddy bear. Kurloz found he didn’t really mind all that much and buried his fingers in Cronus’ hair, purring louder.   
  
“Hmnhmghm… No talking. Only sleep,” Cronus mumbled, yawning. “Deal with talking and food later,”   
  
Kurloz chuckled and let Cronus fall asleep, though no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get his purring to stop. He didn’t think Cronus minded all that much. He reached over and grabbed the remote, turning the volume down so it was barely audible and after a moment’s thought, grabbed his phone and snagged a picture of him and Cronus, being careful to angle it so Cronus’ scars weren’t visible in the shot. He took another one just because, and sent the first one off to Mituna.   
  
**Bumblebee <>: H0LY 5H17 WH47 7H3 FUCK L0Z?!? 1 M34N GR475, GL4D Y0U F1N4LLY G07 50M3 8U7 D4MN DIDN’7 7H1NK Y0U W3R3 1N70 831NG 7H47 K1NKY!** **  
** **  
** **Me: THE FUCK- NO, I DIDN’T PAIL HIM! THERE WAS NO PAILING TUNA. JEGUS, GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER BROTHER.**

**Bumblebee <>: H3H3H3H3H3H3, I KN3W Y0U W0ULDN’7 0F P41L3D H1M 50 500N, 8U77 Y0U 537 M3 UP W44444Y 700 3451LY, L0Z.**

**Me: YOU’RE TERRIBLE, MITUNA.**

**Bumblebee <>: Y0U’R3 P4L3 F0R M3 4NYW4Y5 H3H3HH3H3H3 <>**

**Me: I JUST SIGHED THE HEAVIEST MOTHER FUCKING SIGH, BROTHER. BUT YES. I AM**

**Me: DORK**

**Me: <>**

**Bumblebee <>: W4N7  M3 700 73LL K4NKR1 H15 M01R41L5 54F3 W17H Y0U?\**

**Me: NAH, I GOT THIS PALE BRO. DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT. PROBABLY FALL ASLEEP SOON ANYWAYS. JUST SHOOT ME A TEXT IN AN HOUR OR TWO TO GET ME UP?**

**Bumblebee <>: 5UR3 7H1NG L0Z. 4ND D0N’7 F0RG37 70 73X7 K4NKR1. H3’LL CH3W Y0UR H0RN5 0FF 07H3RW153.**

**Me: I KNOW, DON’T WORRY. THANK YOU, MITUNA. <>**

**Bumblee <>: N0 PR08 KURL0Z <>**

Kurloz shot a quick text to Kankri, which read, 

**Me: HEY, YOUR MOIRAIL IS SAFE AND SOUND WITH ME. WE’RE AT MY PLACE, I’LL MAKE SURE HE EATS ETC.**

**Little Red: Thank y9u Kurl9z. I h9pe y9ur date went well.**

**Me: YEAH, I’D SAY IT DID.**

He chuckled to himself and yawned, putting his phone on the coffee table, wrapped his arms around Cronus and fell asleep. He had no idea that Mituna had sent the photo to everyone else they knew.   
  
**R053: Oh my… That’s certainly something I never expected to see.** **  
** **  
** **D4m4r4: AHAHAHAHAHA**

 **K4n4y4: Oh My Goodness…  
** **  
** **K4nkr1: I’m g9ing t9 kill him. I ap9l9gize if that was triggering, 6ut I am g9ing t9 kill him.**

 **P0rr1m:** **Kanny, do+n’t be so+ drastic o+r dramatic. What is it even?**

**P0rr1m: Oh. Well, then I think I’ll help yo+u hide the bo+dy. Mituna, why wo+uld yo+u share this pho+to+?! Why wo+uld Kurlo+z send it to+ yo+u in the first place?!**

**J0hn: uh...wow. I think I’m supposed to say congrats?**

**J4d3: hehehehehehehhe**

**J4n3: oh my...**

**8483 <3: omg you guys 4r3 4ll outt4 wh4ck ov3r a p1c? **

**8483 <3: holy sh1t!!!!! 1 d1dn’t th1nk kurly had 1t 1n h1m! **

**K4nkr1: Latula, please st9p congratulating this.**

**8483 <3: wh4t 4r3 you m4d 4bout though bro? cro looks pr3tty h4ppy, 4nd h1s p41l1ng h4b1ts a1n’t r34lly your bus1n3ss**

**K4nkr1: They are my “6ussiness” as y9u say when the ph9t9 was clearly taken with9ut Cr9nus’ c9nsent! THAT is what is making me upset.**

**D4v3: hoooooooollllyyyyy shit**

**D4v3: things I literally never needed to see.** **  
** **  
** **K4rk4t: YOU ALL ARE PAN SCRAMBLED MORONS. THEY DIDN’T PAIL. WHAT TROLL ALIVE WOULD TAKE PICTURES OF THAT ASIDE FROM PORN STARS?! DO YOU KNOW MUCH OF A FUCKING MESS THAT’D BE? AND IF I KNOW KURLOZ, THERE’D BE A LOT OF BITEMARKS.**

**D4v3:........ how DO you know that??**

**K4rk4t: I AM SIGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW I’M FUCKING SHOCKED THAT MY LUNGS DIDN’T COMPLETELY DEFLATE AND I PASSED OUT FROM LACK OF OXYGEN. ACTUALLY, I’M SHOCKED THAT YOUR COLLECTIVE STUPIDITY AND MITUNA’S TROLLING, HOWEVER EXPERTLY DONE, HASN’T GIVEN ME AN ANEURYSM. MY MOIRAIL’S A CAPRICORN. HIS BROTHER IS A CAPRICORN. TROLLS CAN BE INSANELY PROTECTIVE AND EVEN A LITTLE POSSESSIVE OF THEIR ROMANTIC MATES, RED OR BLACK.**

**K4rk4t: CAPRICORNS, *THE HIGHEST MEMBERS OF THE PURPLE BLOOD CASTE* MIND YOU, ARE VERY PROTECTIVE AND POSSESSIVE WHEN THEY WANT TO BE. KURLOZ WOULD HAVE LITTERED CRONUS IN BITE MARKS BECAUSE HIS BREEDING DICTATES IT. HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT CRONUS IS *HIS* MATE. SAME REASON ANY HUMANS WOULD LEAVE A FUCKING HICKEY ON THEIR MATE. DUH. AND BESIDES, YOU CAN SEE HIS HOODIE.**

**R0s3: That’s fascinating to know, actually. Thank you Karkat.** **  
****  
****P0rr1m:** **Well, at least we kno+w we wo+n’t have to+ go+ o+n a clo+wn hunt.** **  
****  
****K4nkr1: That d9es help, thank y9u Karkat.** **  
****  
****Me: 0H 5H17 Y0U GUY5 R34LLY 7H0UGH7 7H47 L0Z 4ND CR0 P41L3D? H3H3H3H3 N0, 1 W0ULD H4V3 KN0WN FR0M 7H3 P1C. 7H47 R3M1ND5 M3, 1 H4V3 70 C4LL H1M 1N 4 817 70 G37 H15 455 UP. D0N’7 F0RG37 70 73LL N3P 4ND M3U 7H47 7H3Y D1DN’7 P41L. 1 7H1NK 7H31R 5HR13K5 W1LL 83 5UP3R50N1C.**

 **D4v3: too late… jade and john were in the other room, i think I lost my hearing. i** **absconded** **the fuck outta there.**

**K4rk4t: HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL!?**

**D4v3: babe, i swear i give you lots of cuddles soon as i get back from the store.**

**R0s3: Speaking of, I have a few rather adorable photos myself of the pair while they were out on their date. Kanaya and I wound up going to the same places they did.** **  
** **  
** **K4n4y4: It Was Rather Adorable. Though I Think The Others Won’t Be Able To See This Chat Till Later, As They Are Currently At Work Or I Believe Sleeping.** **  
** **  
** **8r0: 2piil. Ii wantt tthe detaiil2, thii2 ii2 beautiiful black maiil.**

**R0s3: Hmn. I may share them later. Depends. For now, let’s hope they go on that second date.**

**K4rk4t: THEY FUCKING BETTER. I DON’T EVEN GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE BETS, THEY’RE SO STUPID IT’S PAINFUL. TEREZI CAN SEE THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER AND SHE’S BLIND!** **  
** **  
** **T3r3z1: TH1S 1S TRU3, TH3 COURT** **C4NNOT** **F1ND F4LS3 3V1D3NC3 1N M1ST3R CH3RRY’S C4SE >:] ** **  
** **  
** **Me: H0LD Y0UR D4MN H0R535, 1’LL 45K 7H3M.**

Mituna rolled his eyes and quickly switched back to his and Kurloz’s conversation.   
  
**Bumblebee <>: 01 L0V3R 81RD!! Y0U G0NN4 G37 7H3 84LL5 70 45K H1M 0U7 4G41N? **

**Me: YES, TUNA. I DID. HE SAID YES. SLEEP NOW, TALK LATER.**

**Bumblebee <>: Y34H 0K4Y W417 R34LLY!?! H0LY 5H1T!!**

Kurloz snorted and looked down at Cronus, who was sound asleep in his arms and smiled. Yeah. This was a good day.   
  
“Hmnm, vwhat’s up?” Cronus mumbled, not nearly as asleep as Kurloz thought.   
  
“Nothin,” he yawned. “Just texting Tuna, he wanted to know if I got the balls to ask you out a second time,”   
  
Cronus snorted, rolling his eyes and smirked a little. “Yeah, cept I was the one who ask _you_ out.”   
  
Kurloz just hummed and ran his fingers through his hair, scratching gently at his scalp. “Hmn. When do you wanna go on that date, by the way?”   
  
He could feel his face burning bright red and carefully thought about it, trying to push that away. “VWell, I got classes Monday through Thursday, but nothing on Friday. I could… Pick ya up from vwork on Thursday, maybe around seven?”   
  
He felt Kurloz’s head bob, his chin hitting the top of his head gently as Kurloz yawned,

“Sure, sounds good to me, Cronus. We can work out the details in a bit,”

He smiled and shoved away the lingering fear to the back of his mind before he pushed himself up and pressed a quick kiss to Kurloz’s chin. “Thank you, for today I mean.” he winked, unable to restrain himself from falling back onto his old habits. “First date of fifty. I’m gonna get ya to blush like that again, ya were cute.”   
  
He grinned when the purr started back up in Kurloz’s chest and chuckled as the taller grumbled and flipped him off, then scratched at his scalp a little harder.   
  
“Go to sleep, dork,” Kurloz muttered and Cronus grinned, settling against him once more as the wind picked up outside and a fresh snowfall started. “You may be spending the night here,”   
  
“Hmnm, good. Don’t feel like moving,” Cronus mumbled, feeling a sleepy contentment wash over him. It was nice. He felt warm, safe… Protected. He couldn’t ignore the way his heart fluttered at the thought, and buried himself in the quilt further.

‘ _You’re being stupid. He sounds like he already knows how fucked up you are. Just let him in. If it doesn’t work, then you’re right,_ ’ Oddly, he could hear Jade’s voice in the back of his mind, chastising him. He huffed softly, smiling a little. He made a mental note to call Kankri and talk to him about his feelings in earnest, and then to tell Jade and thank her for the advice she’d given him on the dig, shortly after they’d become friends. He fell asleep with a soft smile on his face and warmth growing in his chest, wrapped up in a pair of cool arms that made him feel completely safe from the howling world outside.

_-_-_-_

That warm feeling didn’t fade the next day when Kurloz woke him up gently, just running his fingers through his hair. It didn’t fade when they had breakfast, comfortably drinking coffee side by side at the table. It felt like they’d been doing it for years. It didn’t fade when he changed into his proper clothes, and Kurloz told him to keep the hoodie he’d been wearing. The warm feeling didn’t fade when Kurloz drove him home, though he’d been surprised to see the other driving an actual car and not a motorcycle.   
  
“Gotta use something for when it’s raining or snowing,” Kurloz grinned, tossing his keys up and down. “And I don’t think you wanna go back on my bike,” he pointed to a tarp that covered a motorcycle.   
  
“Car’s fine,” Cronus said, unashamed of how quickly he’d said it. He didn’t fancy freezing his ass off, or breaking his neck.   
  
Kurloz just laughed and drove him home. He walked him inside and when Cronus turned to go back to the elevator, grabbed him and turned him around to press a quick kiss to his lips, smiling. Then, he left, waving, leaving Cronus standing in the lobby, frazzled and warm.   
  
“Awww!!” the front desk person said, the olive blood with bright green eyes and curving, wave like horns. “You two are fuckin adorable.”   
  
“Thanks, Anyome,” he mumbled, bright red.   
  
She laughed and waved him away. “Go on, go collect your shit. Pretty sure D-Stri and Crow Boy are waitin,”   
  
He flipped her off, which made her hyena-laughter louder. His lips tingled and his chest was full to bursting with emotions. He stumbled up to the elevator and when he got up to his apartment, found Dirk and Dave sitting on the couch, expectant.   
  
“Details.” Dirk said, a grin twitching at his lips.   
  
“Seriously. Extra details,” Dave added.   
  
It took him a while to explain it all, but he managed, if a little dazed. He flipped them both off when they cooed and teased him, but he knew it was all in good fun. Besides, it felt like things were finally turning around. Dave helped him make dinner that night, which was a nice change of pace, and he settled in for a night of video games and relaxing with two of his best friends. The warm feeling didn’t fade the next day when he talked to Kankri and had a makeshift feelings jam. Really, it was more him babbling about the date and how many emotions he was feeling, which made Kankri more than a little amused. But, things evened out as he talked with his moirail and he managed to calm down.   
  
“Honestly Cronus, I understand your feelings and fears surrounding a relationship, but I think trying to make this work will help. And, I think Kurloz will be good for you. And you’d be good for him.”   
  
“Yeah. I just.. I’m scared, Kan. VWhat if I fuck up? VWhat if I can’t be what he’s expecting? VWhat if-”   
  
“Cronus, I am going to interject. I apologize for doing so, but I know you will work yourself up otherwise. What have I always said about what ifs?”   
  
He curled up a little more on his bed, sighing as he shifted the phone. “That they drive ya crazy,”   
  
“Exactly. Take this one day at a time, and if he hurts you, I will be more than happy to go clown hunting, as you put it.”   
  
Cronus couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him then. “Thanks, Kan. I doubt you’ll need to, but the sentiment is appreciated.”   
  
“You’re most certainly welcome, now tell me more about how the date went.”   
  
Cronus grinned and lounged on his bed, launching into a spiel about the date all over again. It got easier each time, like it was settling in that maybe things would be alright and work out. When they hung up after almost two hours, he could still feel that happy, content feeling deep in his chest and he couldn’t hide the giddy smile that crossed his face. Things were going to be alright.   
  
The feeling didn’t fade through the rest of the week. If anything, the closer Thursday got, the more excited he became, and the more distracted. Kaliri, more than once, had to give him a look that said, _Pay attention_ , when he was in his class and he gave a sheepish smile in apology. He threw himself into his class work to keep his head on straight and it mostly worked. By the time Friday rolled around, he could feel that warm feeling sinking into his stomach. He had an hour left at work, but he’d already done everything he needed, the excitement turning into manic energy. He needed to finish things, then check them three or four times just to be sure they were right because his fingers felt like they were buzzing. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore and took a few deep breaths, and dialed the one person he knew would help him calm down before he went into this.   
  
“Demir, I haven’t heard from ya in a few days. I was beginning to think you forgot I was here at all,” Duncan’s low, rumbling voice made the manic energy slowly fade and Cronus rolled his shoulders, letting out a sigh.   
  
“Heh, sorry bout that Pops. Just been… Really distracted as of late.”   
  
“Ya got that date with Kurloz tonight, right?” the casual way he said it made a furious blush erupt across his face once more and the warmth in his gut started to turn into butterflies that were shockingly adept at sailors knots.   
  
“Yeah…” he said, bouncing his foot up and down. “Just… This is real. VWow.”   
  
“Lad, I’m gonna give ya some advice, ya ready?” Duncan’s voice was grave and he nodded, then gave a hoarse,   
  
“Yeah,”

“What was that?” he asked. “Your throat’s dry as a damn bone, Cro.”

He swallowed and took a few slow, deep breaths. “Yeah, okay. I’m ready.”   
  
“Be yourself and don’t try to be anyone else,” Duncan said bluntly. “He seems like he likes the guy you are, not who you try to be. Drop the masks ya wear round him, if ya haven’t already and just be yourself. Ya are a really shit liar.”   
  
Cronus snickered and felt himself relax. “I think I can manage that. I’m planning on taking him out to dinner, I saved up for it. There’s a really nice Indian place not too far away, and Karkat’s already taken Dave there. According to Dave, it passed the Karkat Romantic Mood Setting.”   
  
“Ooh, gonna try and be romantic?” He could hear the grin in Duncan’s voice and stuttered.   
  
“That’s not- I’m not- It’s not-”   
  
“Calm down, Demir, I’m pullin your leg,” Duncan chuckled, the sound warm and loose. “I’d have been surprised if ya said ya were gonna be super serious about this date anyways. Have fun with it, Kurloz seems like a good one. And if he ain’t, well, I don’t mind cracking a few heads.”   
  
“Pops, I don’t think you could make a dent in his skull,”   
  
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, lad. I’ve known Mirith a long while, I know a thing or two about how to get a hit in on a Capricorn. Kecicik is a tall bastard, not to mention stubborn. Next time I see him, remind me to drag his bony ass to the kitchen and make sure he’s eaten.”   
  
Cronus stifled a laugh and shook his head. He was fairly certain that Duncan and Mirith were pale for each other, not that he’d seen the taller Capricorn for a while so he wasn’t sure. But, for the way Duncan was talking about him, he’d be surprised if it weren’t true.

“You’re such a mother hen, Pops,” he said when he was sure he wasn’t going to laugh, but he couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice. “Babaanne would be so proud to know how much of a Turkish mother you’ve become. I think you’ve surpassed Italian mother’s worldwide when it comes to getting people to eat.”   
  
“It ain’t my fault he’s stupid and refuses to eat proper meals. He’s going out and eating fancy shit that does jack all for his body. I’d be shocked if he weren’t twenty pounds lighter from lack of proper meals.” Duncan huffed and Cronus could practically feel the indignation through the phone and smiled.   
  
“VWell, he’s gonna be in town for the next couple months, far as I know. Ya can come up and make him sit and eat. Or, I can threaten him with a call from ya, see if I can get him to eat.”   
  
“Sounds like a plan,” Duncan chuckled.   
  
Cronus sighed and leaned back in his chair, smiling as he let the manic energy fade away. “I got another twenty minutes before I gotta head out. Museum’s twenty minute walk from the bakery so I gotta leave a bit early so I can pick him up on time. He’s driving us though, which is nice. VWhat’s your week been like?” he asked.   
  
“Well, mostly filled with editing my new book. I don’t care what anyone says, editing is the worst part of writing. It’s so fucking tedious . ”   
  
“Pops, that’s why you’ve got an editor,” Cronus pointed out, amused.   
  
“I know, but I don’t wanna have to have her look over the terrible first draft. Jesus, I’d stab _myself_ in the eye. Probably with a pencil. But, yeah. I’m almost done with it, thankfully so I should be shipping it off to her and then taking her edits, then sending it back for a few more read throughs. Then, I’ll publish it and start off a new cycle.”   
  
“Did ya hear? Kanaya and Rose love your books, I think they’re embarrassed to ask ya though,”   
  
“Hmn. Send me their addresses, I’ll make sure they get first copies. Speaking of copies, Eri’s starting on a book of their own.”   
  
“Wait, seriously?” Cronus sat up, grinning wide. “That’s awesome! Wizards?”   
  
“You guessed right,” he chuckled. “It’s a pretty good plot too, but I’m not gonna spoil it. You’ll have to read it yourself, I think you’ll like it,”

“When ya say that, I feel like I should be vworried,” Cronus said, grinning a little. 

  
“Nah, I think you’ll like it. When they finish and have it edited, I’ll tell ‘em to show ya. Or, you can ask them to tell ya what it’s all about. It’s a good story.”

“Oookay, gonna trust ya on this Pops.” Cronus said, leaning back in his chair once more.   
  
Duncan laughed and started talking about the rest of his week, the little things he’d seen when he went out on walk and new places that’d opened and others that had closed down. It helped Cronus relax and focus, the last bits of the manic energy fading and replaced with that familiar warm pulse in his chest. It felt like he could walk on air.   
  
“Ahh, shit, I’m sorry Pops, I’ve gotta get going, or I’m gonna be late picking Kurloz up,” Cronus said, cutting Duncan off mid-sentence. He jumped out of his seat and gathered his things, pulling on his jacket and wrapping up his scarf, stuffing it down his front before he speed walked to the sign out sheet and logged himself out.   
  
“Oh- Right, yeah.” Duncan sounded distracted. “Hey, Cro? Do me a favor and just be careful, okay?”   
  
“Sure thing Pops. Love ya,”   
  
“Love you too,” he said just as Cronus hung up. He sighed and shook his head, and hoped that the weird feeling in his gut meant that he was just getting sick and not that something was wrong.   
  
Cronus practically ran towards the cafe, only really slowing down when he was out of breath. He was still fifteen minutes away, but nothing a quick walk wouldn’t help. The sun had already set, and only a few people were left out, mostly the occasional car driving past. Since it was more “human” where he worked, the shops tended to have less nocturnal hours, though a few trolls had set up shop here and there, and a few humans had set up shop in the more “troll” areas. It was a nice mix of things, and maybe it meant a flower shop would be open and he could bring Kurloz something. Nothing big, maybe a few daffodils or maybe something purple. Or red.   
  
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t see the figures that were following him until it was too late and large hands grabbed his shoulders and arms and dragged him into an alley. His head swam as he was slammed up against a brick wall, something cracking. He was pretty sure that was his skull bouncing off the brick, but then his head started ringing and thinking made his vision swim.   
  
“VWhat-?” he started, trying to regain his sense of balance. “Look, can vwe talk bout vwhatever this is?”   
  
“You fucking filthy human,” a voice snarled and that was a knee in his gut and a hand on the back of his head.   
  
He wheezed and gagged, spitting bile as the knee rammed up once more into his stomach, making tears spring to the corners of his eyes. Faintly he could hear snickering and struggled to stand, unsure of when he’d landed on his hands and knees. Breathing was difficult.   
  
“Stand down, trash,” a higher voice this time.   
  
A foot connected with his shoulder and sent him flying, thudding heavily against a door. He groaned, unable to cry out. White noise was filling his head, tears and blood mixing on his cheeks and filling his mouth. He wasn’t sure if he’d broken a tooth or not. There was pressure on his shirt front and they shook him, slamming him up against the door once more. There was a sickening _pop slck_ noise and he screamed, only to get choked off as another hand grabbed his jacket collar and squeezed. He lifted a hand, his right shoulder not cooperating with his need to get them _off_ but then he couldn’t move and there was another flair of pain. He gasped, eyes wide as something hot and yet freezing cold slid into his stomach. Warmth bloomed, slowly moving down his side.   
  
“Idiot! That wasn’t the plan- FUCK!”

“The fuck is going on out there?!”   
  
Someone behind the door? Cronus crumbled to the ground as he was released and he felt more than heard the door shift as the sound of shifting slushy snow filling his ears. Breathing hurt so much. When did it hurt so much?   
  
“OI!! GET BACK HERE!” A familiar voice… He tried to find the name but his head was throbbing. He saw a flash of red, a blur of blue and black, then something brown and orange, and bright red filled his vision once more.   
  
“It’s gonna be okay, don’t worry, you’re gonna be alright. Rufioh! Call 911!”   
  
Cronus opened his eyes a little more and forced himself to focus, making out more details of the troll’s face. He knew that voice, if his head would let him focus and he could speak past the lump that had formed in his throat. There was a gasp and then a cry as the troll kneeling beside him suddenly put more pressure on the wound.   
  
“Cronus, Cronus, look at me, please. Oh my god, please, pleasepleaseplease, look at me,”   
  
The white noise faded and he could feel the welcoming folds of unconsciousness tugging at him, wanting to pull him under like it was only a dream. He was cold. Slush was pooling against his back and he shivered.   
  
“...Dad?” he mumbled, opening his eyes to make sense of the red blur. A bright red jacket, grey face and the startling bright scarlet of Kaliri’s eyes were all he was able to focus on.   
  
“I’m right here, Cronus. Just stay with me, the ambulance is on it’s way,” Kaliri promised, struggling to keep his breathing steady. He wasn’t sure if Cronus was talking to him or if he was hallucinating. “Just stay with me, it’ll be okay, I promise, it’ll be alright.”   
  
Cronus blinked slowly and his lips twitched upwards. Kaliri’s heart almost stopped when he heard a whispered,   
  
“...kay,” and felt under his hands as Cronus finally went limp.   
  
He pressed harder against the wound, feeling the blood seep through the clothes and in between his fingers, and the faint, rattling wheeze of Cronus’ breaths weren’t helping his internal panic. He wanted to check for a pulse, but he knew if he moved then Cronus may bleed out faster, and if he tried to lean down to listen for a heartbeat, he may hurt him. He gave a soft whimpering-click noise and kept speaking.   
  
“Cronus, please, listen to me. You’ll be okay. You’ll be okay, you’ll wake up and everything will be fine. You’re gonna be okay, trust me, you’re gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be fine. This won’t hurt. You’re gonna make it, please, _please,_ ” he could taste something bitter and salty at his lips and absently thought,

‘ _I’m crying,_ ’   
  
It didn’t matter though. He kept talking, making promises he was praying he could keep as Rufioh stood behind him, talking on the phone to 911. It felt like ages, kneeling there in the snowy-slush. He could barely breathe, but he kept talking, unaware of the tears that were falling down his face. When the EMTs finally came, Rufioh had to pull him away so they could get get some pressure on the stab wound and make sure Cronus’ neck wasn’t broken.   
  
“He’s his guardian,” Rufioh was saying and the bronze gently nudged him forward. “He needs to go with you,”   
  
“Come on then,” Ordered a lime blood. Her eyes were startlingly bright. “We need you to move now if you’re going to come with us,”   
  
He nodded and moved, unsure of how he was able to stand. The EMT’s loaded Cronus up into the back of the ambulance and the lime blood hauled him up as her partner, a human, started to work on keeping Cronus stable. The ride was a blur of alarms that faded away to nothing. He couldn’t care. He only had eyes for Cronus’ unnaturally pale and still form. One of the EMT’s had him put pressure on the stab wound as they popped his shoulder back into its socket. There was someone talking to him and it took a minute to register they were asking him questions.   
  
“Sir, sir, what’s your charge’s name?” the lime blood was talking to him.   
  
“Cronus. Cronus Ampora.”   
  
“Alright. He has a nasty stab wound, but we can get the bleeding under control and a broken wrist and finger, but those have been splinted, and his shoulder has been relocated. We’re ten minutes away.”   
  
“...That was fast,” he mumbled, still pressing the gauze against Cronus’ side.   
  
He didn’t see the look the EMT gave him as she said,   
  
“We’ve been driving for almost twenty minutes. He’s stable for now.”   
  
He nodded and took a deep breath, then immediately regretted it. His lungs were filled with the smell of blood, copper and sharp, metallic. He barely managed to keep down the bile that rose in the back of his throat and the EMT made him look up for a moment.   
  
“We _will_ save him. He’s not going to fade on our watch. Frank! Speed it up!” she called over her shoulder to the driver.

There was an affirming grunt and the ambulance cut seemed to move faster, and the alarms got louder. Or maybe that was because he couldn’t focus properly anymore. Everything felt strange. Off kilter. His phone felt like an anchor in his pocket.  He moved robotically when they finally reached the hospital and watched as the EMTs rushed Cronus out and met the doctors and nurses that had been waiting. He could only watch as Cronus was wheeled away and flinched when someone gently touched his shoulder. It was a Jade blood, an older male, which was uncommon but not unheard of.   
  
“Come on, let’s get you washed up.”   
  
“...I need to call people,” he mumbled, snapping back to himself. Faintly, he realized he’d been shaking, his hands painted with blood up to his wrist. Maybe past it. He didn’t want to think about that.   
  
“You can call them once you get your hands washed off,” the Jade said sternly and for a brief moment, Kaliri heard Rosa’s voice. He gave a shallow nod and let the Jade lead him inside, then down a hall and through a door to a bathroom. “Scrub your hands, I’ll go get you a towel.” He gave him a smile and patted his shoulder with one hand while the other turned on the faucet, and with that, Kaliri was left alone.   
  
He stared at his hands, shaking horribly, and stuck them underneath the running water. It took far too long to scrub the blood away, pick it out from underneath his claws and score it out from the pads of his fingers. By the time he was satisfied, the Jade was standing a little ways behind him, holding a clean rag. He took it with a small nod and rubbed at his hands and wrists until they were faintly red under the grey.   
  
“Follow me. I’ll get you the paperwork and you can call who you need, alright?”   
  
Kaliri nodded and followed the other troll. He was lead to a private waiting room and as soon as he was alone, he slumped in a chair and pulled out his phone, hand trembling. He stared at his contacts for a moment before he hit the only person he could handle talking to right now.   
  
“KV, what’s up?” Silias’ voice was a welcome solace, even when it was distracted and he could hear typing.     
  
“Si, Cro-” he cut himself off, hiccuping.   
  
“Kaliri?” Silias perked up immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Cronus… Cronus is,” he took a breath and closed his eyes. “Cronus is in the hospital. Oh my god, Si… He… He was so beat up, and there was so _much blood,_ ” his stomach turned at the thought of all that blood. He felt like he was going to puke.   
  
“Kaliri, I need you to breathe. It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay,” Silias soothed, shifting around as he stood up. “I’ll be there soon, okay? What hospital are you at?”   
  
“Kindred Hospital,” he mumbled, shaking. “Closest one, I think. South Philly.”   
  
“Okay. I’m about thirty minutes away, I’ll bring Sollux and Mituna. Call Kankri, then Mari and Dun, okay?”   
  
“Okay…”   
  
“Kali, he’s human. But he’s tough. He’ll be okay, okay? Humans aren’t as fragile as we think, he’ll make it. I promise. I worked with the tech company that patented those machines, remember. And nothing would have left my desk if I didn’t think it was the best damn software and machine, now would it?”

He sounded cocky, but it drew a soft, “No, you wouldn’t let it,” from Kaliri, and he couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his lips.   
  
“No, I wouldn’t.” Silias said firmly. “Just hold on, okay? I’ll be there soon. Call Kankri. Call Amaria and Duncan. I’ll gather everyone else.”   
  
“Okay,”

“Hey, I’m pale for you.” Silias’ voice dropped, so very soft and warm and something settled in his chest.   
  
“Pale for you too,” he mumbled. He could almost hear the smile in Silias’ voice as he purred and hung up.   
  
Kaliri sat there for a few minutes, staring at his phone, breathing before he called Amaria’s phone. It took three rings before she picked up.   
  
“Hello, my love, how are you?”   
  
“Mari,” his voice broke. “Mari, you need to come to Kindred Hospital, South Philly hospital. It’s Cronus. He’s… He’s hurt. He’s really hurt.”   
  
She was silent for a full minute and Kaliri barely kept himself from breaking apart. Then, “I’ll be there soon as I can be, Kali. I’ll call Duncan, Eri, Camilia and Feferi, alright? You call Kankri. Have you talked to Silias yet?”   
  
‘ _Bless her for being calm,_ ’ he thought distantly.   
  
“Yes,” he managed. “He’s bringing Mituna and Sollux. I’m calling Kankri next in case one of them hasn’t already sent out a massive group text. Rufioh should be here soon… Damara, Vriska and Tavros went after the trolls that attacked him. Fuck, we’re going to have to deal with the police… And this may be a diplomatic incident… He and Kurloz, as far as I know, are matesprits. This isn’t good.”   
  
“No, it isn’t,” a growl was starting to enter her voice, making her voice lower, angrier. More feral. “If they don’t catch them, I most certainly will. They hurt one of my babies. They will _bleed for this,_ ”   
  
“Calm yourself, Amaria,” he said, struggling to pull up a calm front as tears threatened to fall. “Come here to me first. We need you more.”   
  
“...I will be there in fifteen. I love you,”   
  
“I love you too.”

He barely finished when she hung up. He took a deep breath and finally called Kankri. It took several rings for someone to pick up.   
  
“Hello? Who am I speaking to?” He asked, proud when his voice didn’t shake too much.   
  
“It’s Porrim, Kali,” she sounded tense, like she was close to crying. Or maybe yelling.   
  
“Oh, thank the gods,” he mumbled. “Do you know-?”   
  
“Mituna texted the group, and Kurloz ran outside and Kankri followed him. Jane and Meulin said they’d get them back inside if they didn’t come in in the next five minutes, but I- I have to-”

“You have to come here,” he said firmly, shoving down his tears. He could cry later, when he had Amaria or Silias there. Right now, Porrim needed him to be the calm adult who had his head on straight and wasn’t thinking about the sickening smell of hospital soap and pine mixing with the blood that was drying on his sweater.   
  
She took a deep breath. “Okay… Okay, I can do this.” she said softly, but her voice was hard as steel. Her fist clenched and she looked to the back door where Kankri and Kurloz had disappeared and tore her eyes away. She had to trust Kankri could handle himself. “Mr. Egbert said he’d drive us there… John, Gamzee, Dave and Karkat were here. Dave’s calling Dirk and Nepeta, I think Equius and Horrus are with them. I need to call Mom-”   
  
“Call them on the way. Get everyone you can here first, or let them know what’s happening. We can’t have too many people here at once. Sollux, Mituna, Silias, me, Amaria, Mom, you, Aranea, Kankri, Kurloz, Meulin, Gamzee, Nepeta, John, Jane, Dave, Dirk, Horrus, Equius, Mr. Egbert… Probably Meenah as soon as she knows, then Dun, Eri, Cami and Fef… It’s gonna be pretty full, and that’s not even everyone. We need to be sure we manage this. Too many people at once will suffocate everyone.”   
  
“I’ll manage them,” she said, taking another breath and giving Aranea a look before she grabbed her jacket and shepherded the other woman towards the door. “We’ll be there soon as we can.”   
  
_I’ll keep an eye on them,_ Meulin signed as she passed and Porrim gave her a grateful smile before she and Aranea joined the others outside.   
  
“See you soon,” Kaliri said and with that, hung up.   
  
Porrim sighed and stuck Kankri’s phone in her pocket, looking back over her shoulder as she trailed after the three humans, Aranea, for once quiet, a pace ahead of her.   


‘ _Gods, I hope you two don’t tear each other to pieces,_ ’ she thought with a hard sigh before she turned around and picked up her pace.

She didn’t hear the trash cans hitting the pavement, or the low growl that was rumbling through a fairly small space. But, she did hear a distant, loud, if strained, laugh and shivered.   
  
It was echoing, bouncing between the brick walls. Kurloz was pissed. He was beyond pissed. He was ready to rip somethings throat out. And all he could do was laugh. Laugh at the futility of it. And at the face of the tiny red blood who was staring up at him as though he were a misbehaving wriggler.

“Kurloz, listen to me,” he was saying.   
  
“Why the _fuck SHOULD I?_ ” He asked, hissing as he narrowed his eyes. “You? A fucking wriggler compared to me?! You use this kind of _shittastic_ fuckery as an excuse, motherfucker! You don’t give a flying fuck about anything or _anyone_ . You just fucking _talk all the time_ . All talk, no bite. Nothing to you. Nothing but _empty motherfucking words,_ you piece of low blood _trash._ I doubt you even give a damn about him. I bet you anything that if the ones who hurt him were right here _you’d fucking lecture them._ You wouldn’t bring your fucking pacifist loving head out of your nook long enough to care. You’re a _coward._ When it gets hard you’d just lay down and let it happen. If you were there, you’d probably _lecture them_ instead of helping him. But then that makes him the perfect victim, doesn’t it?” he sneered, feeling a vindictive glee as he watched Kankri take a step back.

The rational side of his brain was screaming, muted, muffled, in the waves of anger and fear. He didn’t care. He _couldn’t bring himself to care_. And that realization made him want to scream. Instead, the Carnie started to giggle, eyes flashing purple and shark teeth showing behind black lips as  he cracked his fingers. He blinked and inhaled, prepared to laugh, or maybe scream, or maybe beg in a whisper for someone to help him. But instead, he found himself on his back, cold seeping into his spine and fire along his chest. Kankri was straddling his chest, pinning him completely, holding the collar of his shirt with one hand, his horn in the other and leaned into his face, scarlet red eyes on fire, they shone so bright. He’d gripped so tight on his horn that if he tried to move, he could dislocate Kankri’s arm, or Kankri could, and quite probably would, break off a part of his horn.

And when Kankri spoke, it was slow, and oh so terrifyingly calm.

"You know nothing of what I have seen Cronus through. Do you understand me? You know only what he has allowed you to see. I have chipped and pulled and wheedled my way into his shields, and caught him when he was falling apart, and then put him back together time and fucking time again. I have dragged his ass back from death not once, but now twice and I will be damned if I let some high and mighty high blood with a rattled think pan and rotted brain tell me what I feel." Kurloz could feel something akin to fire along every part of his body. He almost wished Kankri would just rip off a part of his horn, if only to end this faster. The carnie was fading as reason and rational thinking burned through his pan and he kept his mouth shut, not daring to move. He felt if he did, Kankri would finish pulling at his horn. It was disturbingly easy to break a horn if you knew how and where to apply pressure.   
  
"He and I are closer than blood, closer than brothers and he means so much more to me than I can put into words. I would die for him, run to the edges of the earth and back if it would help him, and I am not above killing for him. I am not afraid of blood, Kurloz. I have been cursed from hatching to have fire in my veins, mutant scarlet that I am reminded again and again makes me an abomination, regardless that the hemospectrum is not as active as it once was. But I am not afraid to spill another's if they so want to spill my moirail's." he took a shuddering breath and added, a little calmer, loosening his hold on his horn.

"I respect you and care for you, Kurloz. You've been a friend for many sweeps." He sat back, releasing his horn and letting go of his shirt, straddling his chest still. "But do not ever push me like that again." Letting out a deep breath, he closed his eyes then opened them again. "I apologize for that reaction. I should have kept better control of my temper and not have struck out at you as you did me. Are you alright? I know I may have hurt you, and I apologize for that."  
  
Kurloz just stared at the scarlet blood and blinked stupidly. "Motherfucker, where _the fuck_ have you been keeping that rage?"   


It had been like staring down another high blood in a dark carnival.   
  
"....I usually keep it buried." Kankri muttered, now looking ashamed. He squeaked when Kurloz lifted his arms and wrapped him close, then sat upright and stared at the shorter troll.   
  
"You, little red, are one fucking bitchtits crazy troll. You couldn't have hurt me if you tried." He paused then added, "And... I took out my own rage on you and pushed you. I didn’t mean any of that, I let the carnie in me go and I couldn’t think. I just jabbed and pushed at you. I’m so sorry." He kept his voice soft, barely above a whisper. His throat hurt.   


Kankri blinked in shock and started going off about his own inability to keep calm in a stressful situation and how that had been no excuse to attack Kurloz, let alone threaten him and how sorry he was. Kurloz felt his tense shoulders unwind and relaxed, chuckling. He bumped his forehead against Kankri's, platonically, and snorted.   
  
"It's fine, Kanny. You've seen me in some pretty fucked up spots. You're my friend, platonically. I won't tell Porrim if you won't."   
  
"The only way I'd bring her into this is if she were to have been watching. Gossip is beneath us both," he sniffed, but Kurloz could feel him relaxing as well.

  
“Kankri! Kurloz! Come on! There’s time to play around in the snow later!” Jane called from the door.   
  
The looked at each other and nodded. Kurloz stood and helped Kankri stand, then followed the smaller troll inside. He had to restrain himself from letting out his voodoos, but he could manage it. For a little while. Maybe. Jane grabbed his keys and glared when he opened his mouth, so he held up his hands and followed her to his car, Kankri and Meulin steps behind him. Mr. Egbert had taken Porrim and Aranea in his car, apparently, because he didn’t see the other’s Buick anywhere. Jane got into the driver’s seat and messed around with the seat for a moment as Kankri claimed shot gun and Meulin pulled him into the back seat with her, running her hands soothingly through his hair. It was enough to keep him from flipping his shit further, at least. He laid down and closed his eyes, focusing on Meulin’s fingers in his hair and the sudden heat of Kankri reaching back to grip his fingers with his own, squeezing. He squeezed back and started mentally going through all the prayers he knew.


	8. I'M NOT DEAD AND NEITHER IS THIS WORK!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'M NOT DEAD YET!! And life decided to stop being a bitch. Hazzah!

This is an important notice!!!

My laptop has come!! Praise the gods! I have been chipping away at the chapter, and now that I'm home and on winter break, I should be able to post it soon. This is a pretty insane time, nonetheless, BUT the new chapter should be up in a rough two weeks. Maybe. Don't hold your breath, but I swear I'll try to get it up soon as possible. 

Thank you for your patience to anyone who reads my works!! And a huge thank you to my long lasting supporters who remain patient with me, I love you all so much, you make my month!! I hope all is well!

-RR


	9. In Which People Talk and Maybe Get Answers, Though More Questions Are Asked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cronus is in the hospital, Vriska, Damara and Tavros have gone AWOL, Duncan is a nervous wreck, and to top it all off, things have just been growing stranger and more stressful. Well, at least moirails are there for those that need them, and rambling old women who wander halls offer some form of distraction in the form of story. Oh, and cousins are reunited, though the circumstances could be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVE!!!! Holy sweet merciful gods above, this was an unplanned hiatus!!! Between life cropping up, finals and hell week at Uni, and just me not being very good at managing anything, this chapter has taken forever to come out!! I deeply apologize for the wait, and thank you a million times over for all the lovely comments, kudos, and bookmarks. It makes my month and fueled my determination to get this damn thing out. It was a beast but is ludicrously long to make up for making you wait almost three months for the latest chapter. A huge, amazing, outstanding thank you to my lovely beta reader Sparrow, who has been helping me tackle this beast, and to Lacewing, 10myouji4kan (and another huge thank you for checking my Turkish!!), KurCro, NailBunny777, and Scylina for all the uplifting comments, and everyone who has left kudos, and everyone who's bookmarked. Each and every one of you fantastic readers has made me power through this hellish period, and I swear from the bottom of my heart, that I am being genuine when I thank you, all of you. You're wonderful for having stuck through this erratic posting schedule and this rollercoaster of a fic. But.....  
> We're barely to the halfway point. If you thought this ride was anywhere near over, you have another thing coming. *evil cackling in the distance*   
> For now, I hope you enjoy this chapter and that the wait was well worth it!!   
> No, wait, I lied.   
> DISCLAIMER!!  
> If you cannot tell Homestuck is the brainchild of one (1) Andrew Hussie, I cannot help you. All OC's belong to me, as always.   
> NOW on wih the story!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> -RR

The hospital was stifling, in more ways than one. The smell of antiseptic and blood was soaked into the floors along with Pine-Sol, making him feel sick to his stomach. The smell of soap was going to be permanently seared into his nostrils at this point, if he would even be able to smell once they all left. The halls felt too close, crowded and rushed despite the relative sense of order that was held. There was noise everywhere, and not in general noise of there being living beings. He was hyper aware of the sounds of machines that passed by, snippets of conversation, and even little things like the rustling of clothes of those near him. 

Even in a private room, with only a handful of bodies, it was too loud. Karkat forced himself to take slow, even breaths, keeping his gaze focused on his shoes. Gamzee was curled against his side, his darker grey fingers wrapped tight around his, squeezing every now and then as a rusty purr rattled in his throat. It had been a long night of waiting and pacing, and even then, it felt like it wasn’t fully day yet. He, Kankri, Mituna, Gamzee, Dave, Dirk, Meenah, Kurloz and Latula had been waiting for a good chunk of the night in that cramped room, having sent the others home for rest and to relay news to the rest of their friends and family. Forty minutes ago, Silias had left with Kaliri and Amaria to go meet Duncan, Eridan, Camilia and Feferi at the airport so they didn’t freak the fuck out, however justified it was. It was barely six in the morning, but the group had taken a red-eye flight to make it up in time, since there weren’t any flights earlier than four in the morning. He barely looked up when he felt Dave’s slightly cooler hand rest against his neck, sliding into his hair and rubbing at his horn beds.    
  
“Kanaya and Rose are bringing Starbucks, I told them to get you the biggest fucking hot chocolate they had with extra chocolate and whip cream.” he murmured and Karkat let out a muffled noise of assent.    
  
“Where’s everyone else?” he mumbled, finally looking up.    
  
He knew most of the others, namely Mr. Egbert, John, Rose, Roxy, Jane, Rufioh, Meulin, Sollux, Terezi, Porrim, Nepeta, Horrus and Equius had been sent home to get some rest and try to get some news out the rest of their family and friends, and maybe try to track down Vriska, Damara and Tavros. But, there’d been more bodies in the room. Now, there was only himself, Dave, Gamzee, Latula, and Mituna, and the two of them were curled up best they could be in a pair of chairs, dead asleep. Meenah, Dirk, Kurloz, and Kankri were missing and that set off early alarm bells. Nothing about the four of them being together for any amount of time in any capacity could be a good thing. That worry, however, was nipped in the bud as Gamzee explained,    
  
“S’all good, palebro. Our old man came bout an hour or so ago to check on us. He heard from Duncan and Kaliri, plus news is startin to all up and gather. They’re not here yet, so small miracles. I’ve got my chill on, but Kurloz was wound up tighter than a spring so he took him out on a walk to get his own motherfuckin chill on.” his low, almost sing-song voice made Karkat relax and he sighed, nodding. “And Dirk? Well, brother all up and did Cro-Bro a solid,” 

“What-?” he started.    
  
“He’s O neg, same as Cronus,” Dave explained. “They didn’t have enough blood and needed a transfusion. Apparently Cro,” he took a deep breath. “Cro was stabbed deep enough to start internal bleeding. He lost a good liter and a half of blood, according to the doc and his heart almost stopped on the operating table. They weren’t sure if it was from shock or something else, but Dirk’s giving him blood right now. Or, he  _ gave _ blood and is now just sleeping and recovering. Cro’s been moved to ICU. Meenah and Kankri went to scrounge up some food for us lot, something better than the cafeteria junk. Not even irony could make me eat that nasty shit,” he said, trying for humor.    
  
Karkat just huffed, rolling his eyes. “You’d drink pineapple juice if it was for irony simply because it has apple in the name,” but, a small smile twitched at his lips.    
  
“Yeah, maybe. But I’d look good doing it, then spit some sick nasty raps with Gamzee. Beep beep, watch out. Rap masters coming through, and oh  _ shit  _ looks like there’s not enough aloe vera left to cover these burns. It’s straight up third degree burnage here, Karkles, my pretty face can’t handle third degree burns. My looks are all I’ve got. All for the sake of irony, though,” he rambled, cut off when Karkat turned and tugged him in for a kiss.    
  
“You’re so utterly ridiculous,” he murmured, smiling. He could feel the weight of his exhaustion, having not slept very much if at all last night, and the hospital chairs hadn’t helped that at all.    
  
Dave didn’t say anything, just smiled and pecked his nose once, smiling. Gamzee made a soft cooing noise.    
  
“You two are too motherfuckin cute,”    
  
Karkat struggled to flip him off, as one of his hands was holding Dave’s face and the other was being held by Gamzee and even for the sake of flipping off his moirail he didn’t want to let go of either of them. Dave just held up both his middle fingers and snorted.    
  
“Shut up man, we’re the cutest damn power couple that’s ever coupled.”    
  
“Mnhm, think my bro and Cro-bro take that one, brother,” Gamzee drawled, grinning.    


“Okay, fair.” Dave said, nodding.    


Karkat rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You’re both idiots,” was all he said, before settling down against Dave.    
  
Time stretched out. It could only have been a half hour they they sat there in silence, but it felt days had been compressed into that short amount of time. Dave was quietly messing around on his phone with one hand, the other having returned to Karkat’s hair, rubbing and scratching gently every now and then. Gamzee was doodling on a piece of paper one handed, the other still wound tight with Karkat’s. Or, Karkat was attempting to crush  _ his  _ hand, as Gamzee held his smaller hand gently. Every now and then, he’d squeeze, just shy of too tight before slowly relaxing again. Karkat himself was leaning against Dave’s shoulder, head pressed against his and eyes half closed as he let himself just drift. 

Eridan had called him hours earlier, shortly after he’d gotten the news. He’d been… Disturbingly bland, when he spoke. Like emotion wasn’t registering. Karkat would have been worried if he didn’t know that internally, Eridan had probably been near a mental break down. This was the third time his brother was in the hospital, the third time he’d brushed death. The third time he was close to losing Cronus. It was probably torture of the worst kind. As he sat there, he tried to imagine shutting down to the point of not being able to emote. It was a very odd thought, almost abstract to him. It was like some modern artwork that made no sense, just a bunch of splatters on a canvas and hung up for hundreds to gawk at and the pretentious to claim they understood. 

‘ _ Funny how those two are so similar, _ ’ he thought, closing his eyes. ‘ _ I think the closest I’ve ever been was when Gamzee went hiveshit and attacked Nepeta. And even then… I just felt so much, it was almost too much. I barely understood what happened, I didn’t know why or how it’d happened. And fuck, I was just so scared. And angry. But I didn’t shut out my emotions, I just screamed and cried. I didn’t go to the hospital to see either of them for three days… I didn’t know how I’d react. And now, Eridan’s coming here, hours after Cronus was stabbed. _ ’ he wasn’t what he felt. It was all jumbled together, like a blank jigsaw thrown into a tumble dryer. 

He blinked when something warm was pressed into his hand. It had been the one that Gamzee had been holding, so the temperature difference was jarring for a moment before it warmed his hand back up. His fingers flexed, claws dragging on the side of the cup for a moment before he transferred the drink to his other hand, tragically losing his hold on Dave’s, before tightened his hold on Gamzee’s hand.    
  
“Are you alright, Karkat?” Kanaya asked.    
  
He let out an explosive sigh before taking a long drink, not looking her in the eyes.    
  
“That answers that, then,” she said with a small nod. “Right,” she handed Dave and Gamzee their own drinks and continued, “Mother called me to say she would be here soon and she was with Porrim, Roxy, and John. Sollux, Jade and Jake will be here in a little bit as well, likely later in the day as they’re still trying to get in contact with Vriska, Damara and Tavros.” 

“They’re still AWOL?” Dave asked. Karkat curled into him a little more, tightening his hold on Gamzee’s hand.    
  
“Yes, unfortunately. Rufioh said they were chasing down the ones who attacked Cronus, so they may be doing something unbelievably stupid.” she heaved a sigh, exasperated and tired. “I just hope they have the sense to either hide the bodies or get the police involved. Which, they will need to be.” 

“My old man’s been talking to them already,” Gamzee rumbled, squeezing Karkat’s hand just a hair too tight before relaxing. “It’s a fucking diplomatic incident, Cronus is Kurloz’s matesprit. Gotta have some sorta retribution goin on.”    
  
“Cronus won’t like that,” Karkat muttered.    
  
“Likely not,” Kanya agreed. “But, it must be done.”    
  
“Let’s just hope that this can be resolved without needing a trial because he can’t handle going through that shit again,” Dave said, frowning sharply. “There’s not a lot to do but wait and fuckin pray, I guess.”    
  
“I’ve been prayin to the Messiah’s all night,” Gamzee offered. “If there’s one thing our old man did, it was teach us how to pray proper-like. All up and get a miracle goin,”  

Karkat bit his tongue, curbing his usual response to his moirail’s miracle’s. Dave let out a long suffering sigh and pushed his sunglasses up into his hair and laid his head back, staring at the ceiling with squinted eyes.    
  
“Let’s fuckin hope they hear ya then,” he said with a sardonic smile flashed at Gamzee before he slid his shades back on.    
  
There was a silent weight, a need to break the oppressive weight that was pushing against all of them like it would crush them into the floor. Rose opened her mouth as ten minutes of silence started to grow too much, but before she could even start, there was the sound of soggy feet slapping against the tiles and the sharp  _ clkclikclakclikclak _ of heels followed close behind. Duncan skidded into the room, catching himself almost comically on the edge of the door frame, barely breathing hard though his cheeks and nose were red from the cold and wind. It would have been funny in any other circumstance. Camilia came striding behind him, eyes harsh and her mouth pressed into a firm line, Eridan and Feferi squeezing behind them and moving into the room.    
  
“Where is he? What’s happened?” Duncan demanded, his voice impressively steady despite the way his hands shook, his legs barely looked like they’d hold him up much longer.    
  
“He’s in ICU at the moment,” Rose said, rising from her seat and moving carefully towards him like he was a startled animal. “He needed a blood transfusion, and none have us have been in to see him yet, but the doctors were optimistic about his chances. Dirk will be awake soon, he gave him a blood transfusion, and Kurloz is out on a bit of a walk about with Mirith and Kankri and Meenah are getting food.”    
  
“Dun,” Amaria said, calling his attention from the doorway as Camilia moved back into the hallway and disappeared.    
  
Duncan’s shoulders were shaking violently now, and he looked seconds from collapsing to the floor. “Three times,” he mumbled, his voice too quiet, too broken.    
  
Amaria moved towards him carefully, nodding to Rose, and grabbed her matesprit’s arm, gently guiding him to sit down. She looked just as shaken as Duncan, but she seemed to be keeping herself together solely for Duncan’s sake at the moment. Eridan sat next to Duncan, taking his other hand and squeezing. He didn’t say anything, and neither did Duncan, for a long, drawn out minute.    
  
“Three  _ fucking  _ times,” Duncan mumbled, staring at the ceiling now. “Three fucking times he’s been under the knife,”    
  
“He’s alive though,” Rose pointed out with an air of calm that none of them truly felt.    
  
The laugh that came from Duncan was bitter and short lived but he said nothing more. Eridan squeezed his hand, curling up into his side to try and garner some kind of reaction from him. He got a soft grunt and a faint squeeze. Feferi plopped herself on the floor and started rolling up Eridan’s soaking wet pants legs before rubbing at the red-raw skin there.    
  
“We got food for y’all,” Meenah’s voice interrupted the brief state of calm that had fallen over everyone. She looked surprised to see Duncan, Eridan, Feferi and Amaria and gave a forced smile. “Whale, shell, looks like we got enough anywaves. Where’s Mama and the other two?” she asked, handing Feferi a muffin and Eridan a cereal cup.    
  
“She went to go talk to the dock-tor, or track someone down I think,” Feferi said, unwrapping the saran wrap around the muffin and pulling off a piece. “Silias and Kaliri went to go find Mirith and Kurloz.”    
  
“Hmnm,” Kankri hummed, handing Karkat and Dave apples and another muffin, which Dave split with him. “Good. Any news on Dirk?”    
  
“He’s right here,” came a sleepy, slurring voice from the doorway and the blonde shuffled his way into the waiting room. He had faint bags under his eyes and he looked a little worse for wear, but nothing terrible. “Cro’s gonna be fine,” he mumbled, slumping in the nearest seat and bending in half to press his palms against his eyes. His shades were noticeably absent, tucked into his pocket.    
  
Duncan didn’t look any better with the news, but he at least relaxed marginally. Karkat was sure the poor man’s spine would have cracked in half if he sat any stiffer much longer.    
  
“Cro’s fine,” he repeated, words slurring over themselves. “Just… Gotta sleep. Gave him blood. Lotta blood. Then I slept, cause I was really fuckin tired,” he yawned, as if to puncuate the sentiment. “But, he’s in ICU now. Got any juice?”    
  
Meenah nodded and handed him a small bottle of orange juice. He looked at it for a long moment before unscrewing the lid and then chugging it down, not bothering to stop until half of it was drained. He looked at Duncan and gave a slow nod.    
  
“I know how ya feel,” he drawled, sounding a little more like himself, if just slightly drunk. “Third time Cro’s been in here, and God knows what’s playing at your nerves. God knows I’ve taken Davey to the hospital more times than I wanna remember, and each fuckin time, felt like I was gonna wear a hole in the floor till I knew he was all good. But, Cro’s a tough nut to crack. He ain’t gonna just,” he made a limp motion with his arm, “Like that. So, he’ll sleep a bit, and the badassery of Strider blood will help kick his ass back to us. Cause he ain’t gonna die, not this time and not till he’s old and silver.”    
  
That startled a soft laugh out of Duncan, and Amaria relaxed, marginally, rubbing a hand up and down his back. Slowly, the older man shook his head and pushed his wet hair back from his face, pulling his hand from Eridan’s only to wrap his arm around his shoulders and squeeze gently. 

“I’m still here, Erol, no worries,” he murmured into his son’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. Dirk’s half awake, slightly incoherent rambling from blood loss had helped kick some of the fear that settled over him. It wasn’t going to take all of it, obviously, but it was enough in the moment to get him to focus. Eridan was scared out of his mind, shutting down so he didn’t have to deal with it while Feferi tried to keep herself together for his sake. Eridan mumbled something softly in Turkish and Duncan chuckled, slightly forced.    
  
“Aye, but y’aint gettin rid of me either.”   
  
Eridan smiled and pressed himself closer. Karkat closed his eyes, feeling like he was intruding on something personal, despite having known them for years, despite having seen similar displays, and performing such displays with his own family, and even with Dave. It still felt raw and invasive each time he watched someone else, though, and he wanted to give them some semblance of privacy. Mother Grub knew there’d been little of that over the past twenty-four hours. 

“I’ll go with Tuna to check on Rezi and Sol,” Latula said after a beat of silence, her voice still a little heavy with sleep. Not even she could pull her usually bright and peppy attitude, or force her usual smile. “We’ll call y’all later, kay?” with a few gentle prods and some soft cooing, she managed to get Mituna up and out of the chair.    
  
“Call me if Loz is bein’ an idiot,” he murmured and Kankri nodded.    
  
“We will,” Rose said with a gentle smile. “Go and rest, thank you both for staying the night.”    
  
The couple nodded and with that, they left. As soon as they did, however, a large shadow spilled in the doorway and then a huge troll with tall, lyre shaped horns was ducking slightly to get into the room. He was huge, seven feet tall and his horns almost scraped the ceiling, which had been made with trolls in mine. His face was unpainted, which was jarring to see, and he wore a nice suit and even a tie, underneath a thick coat. His hair was a huge mane of black hair, and with fangs to make a tiger jealous, he almost looked like a lion. His dark purple eyes scanned the room. He nodded at Gamzee and then looked at Duncan, arms crossed. When he spoke, his voice was a low rasp, the promise of something darker just in the undertone.   
  
“Just spoke to the Doc, said Cro was fine to get visitors,” he held his hand up as everyone tensed, preparing to stand all at once. “I barely got the fucker to agree to let more than one person at a time, and as is, three people took a lot of talking.” he stared at Duncan, then slowly swept his gaze across the rest of them. “Decide who the third motherfucker is, cause Duncan and Amaria are the first two.”    
  
He went over to the wall and leaned there, arms crossed and relaxed. He could have sit, if he didn’t mind getting stuck to the chair, which would have been a bad idea. He was lean, corded muscle, but that didn’t mean he’d fit in a chair that probably wouldn’t hold his weight. Getting stuck was the best case scenario. He watched Duncan and Amaria like a hawk, and everyone else looked between Eridan, Feferi, Meenah, Camilia, and Kankri before Kankri looked at Meenah and nodded.    
  
“Go and see him. I can wait until Mother and Dun come back,” his smile was strained and he looked like he was ready to start shaking, but Meenah nodded and didn’t question him.    
  
Mirith just rolled his eyes and nodded at Amaria when she caught his eye. She’d been texting him since this whole mess started, and they’d devised a plan of sorts. Camilia, when he looked at her, was sitting, composed as ever, but her neat fushia and gold nails were digging into her suit pants, her other arm wrapped tight around Eridan. No one was exactly surprised that he hadn’t jumped up to go see his brother. Not when he was so quiet. A quiet Eridan was not a good thing, and pushing him would only result in a panic attack or him shutting down, though Mirith wished the boy would talk. He could sense the dread and fear, underneath layers of forced calm, radiating off of him. In short, he was a ticking time bomb of emotions unless he managed to get himself under control, and it seemed to be slow going. 

‘ _ But, it’s going, _ ’ he thought with a soft sigh. He could feel a headache building behind his eyes and he closed them, feigning relaxation and ease. It would work for the moment.    
  
‘ _ Thank fuck for Kaliri, _ ’ came the thought and he felt the tension bleed, just a little, from his shoulders. It was true. The other troll was a calming presence and had him go back to the hospital with Silias while he continued to walk with Kurloz, calming his son with his general being. Amaria would make sure that Duncan didn’t stay too long with Cronus and dump him on Mirith, letting him take care of him while she corralled the rest of the kids. He felt his blood start to boil at the idea of these kids getting hurt, and the idea of what he could and possibly would do to those that’d pulled it off were numerous, and growing more and more creative.    
  
“Mirith, sir,” Kanaya’s firm tone brought him back to the moment and he grunted, opening an eye lazily.    
She took that as the permission to continue, which it was. “How long have you been here?”    
  
“Here?” he tilted his head back just a little to hit the wall with his horns. “Fifteen minutes. With my idiot boy? Almost an hour, and before that, dealing with aftermath.” he closed his eye again, keeping his words short. He didn’t have the mental capacity to be verbose, not that any of them expected him to. Damn, he needed coffee.    
  
“Well,” Rose started, making him open an eye again to stare at her. She met his gaze unflinchingly, which he had to admit, was impressive. Most others would stare at his eyebrows, or just to the right or left of him. “I have some coffee, since I assumed you’d be coming. I’d be happy to go reheat it for you if you could tell us some of what this fallout entailed,” 

He opened both eyes and shifted a little, staring at her. She had guts, and Gamzee shifted just a little so he was more on the edge of his seat, holding his pen as he balanced a sketchbook precariously on his knees. He was ready to get up and fight him, should the need arise and Mirith almost laughed aloud at his son’s reaction. Well, had this been any other time, or maybe if he could bring himself to start up a debate, he may have given the LaLonde girl a bit of a run around. Instead, he acted like he was mawling it over before he gave a slow nod, eyes half open in a false sleepy look. Rose and Gamzee saw right through it, but everyone else relaxed.    
  
“Alright, terms are fair. Information for coffee isn’t the strangest fucking deal I’ve ever struck,” he muttered.    
  
Rose raised a perfect eyebrow and tilted her head a little. “You’ve struck other deals before?”    
  
“Not the information you wanted LaLonde. Coffee if you mind.” she gave a slow smile and stood, handing him the lukewarm drink. It smelled like honey and cream, which is how he liked it. Too bad it was Starbucks. He gave a small nod in appreciation and as she moved to sit back down, drained the cup. It wasn’t hard, nor was it very much, venti or not. He licked his lips and sighed, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. “Now, the aftermath is a fucking mess. It wasn’t just anyone who attacked Cronus, but fledgling gang members, or so the story is going.”    
  
Rose blinked in surprise, Kanaya pressed her lips together, Kankri looked mildly annoyed, and Karkat was staring past him, brow furrowed. Dave looked confused, Gamzee was staring at his sketchbook while Dirk just looked zoned out. Eridan was curled up next to Feferi, who’d moved into Duncan’s vacant spot, having righted Eridan’s sopping wet pants cuffs, and Camilia had her arm wrapped around Eridan, her hand resting on Feferi’s shoulders. He could hear the rest of the hospital staff, not even that far away in the halls. He let them chew on that bit of information for a moment as he drained the dregs of his coffee.    
  
“So, you fed them bullshit?” Camilia stated and he looked at her, lowering his coffee cup. She looked contemplative, interested, and nowhere near as angry as he’d expected. Though, most would say that about a tiger before it pounced. Or, maybe a shark before it came back around and charged you.    
  
“Yeah,” 

“Why?” Rose asked. “We don’t even know what happened.” It was a statement, not a question.    
  
He sighed through his nose and rubbed at his temples with one hand. “Far as my contacts in the police can tell, and this is being bumped up because Cronus is who he is, is that this was an act of discrimination and violence. Vriska, Tavros and Damara finally fucking came back, though Tavros has a limp from spraining his ankle, and they said it was a group of high bloods, Teal to Blue. Rufioh’s security cameras didn’t get faces, but it got the scuffle and audio. They were highbloods gunning for Cronus because he’s a human, and either it’s because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or it was a fucking targeted attack towards Kurloz, Gamzee and me. Well,” he cracked his knuckles, curling his fist and pressing his fingers into the flesh of his palm. “There won’t be much for them by the time I’m done.”    
  
“You can’t actually attack them,” Kankri started before he cut himself off. “No, you’re planning something else,” he finished, voice soft. Either with awe or shock, Mirith didn’t rightly care.    
  
“Soon as I find out who they are? They’re going to have a hell of a legal case. And fucking miles of red tape,” his smile was vicious.    
  
Camilia’s chuckle was out of place with her smile. Her smile was wide, happy, but her laughter was a dark sound. She was ready for blood. “Bouy,” she said, “You shore as shell ain’t leavin me outta that one,” 

He snorted. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Fishy Queen,”   
  
That just made Camilia’s smile sharper and she laughed. Feferi leaned into her mother’s hand and stroked Eridan’s hair.   
  
“Don’t you worry aboat anenomething,” she soothed. “Mama’ll take care of them, and she’ll make them wish they were chum,” her usually bubbly smile was just a touch too sharp and Eridan hiccuped, smiling a little.   
  
“Thanks, Fef.” he mumbled and she beamed, usual smile in place.   
  
“Not a problem, my morieel,”   
  
Eridan went bright pink and ducked his head, making the adults in the room chuckle, tension draining. Camilia squeezed the kids and gave Mirith a side eye as she said,   
  
“So, I’m assumin that this whole business is because startin anything with the hemospecturm would be a mess and a half to clean up?”   
  
He nodded and sighed through his nose, looking around the room. “None of this leaves this room.” He didn’t have to add the _clear?_ at the end. Everyone nodded, attention fixed firmly on the older troll.   
  
“This business is a motherfucking mess, and I’m trying to keep reporters from starting something over all this. It’s diplomatic because Cronus is Loz’s matesprit, and even if they haven’t announced it to the world yet, it’s pretty damn clear that some shit’s gone down. Kaliri was on scene, he’s essentially Cronus and Eridan’s second father, and the vultures that you call press are trying their damnedest to get the story before the facts are out. Truth does not equal fact.” he said, staring at everyone. “They will make their own truths if they must, and that shit ain’t gonna fly. So, until we’ve got this sorted, no one talks to the press. You leave here? Make sure you ain’t recognizable, or least take round about ways to get where you’re going. That a human was attacked by trolls on the human-troll border of town is bad enough. Gang’s are common enough that it’ll be enough speculation for the press to chew on till we get the bastards or more evidence.” 

“That is a very well thought out plan,”    
  
Mirith gave Rose a bland look and raised an eyebrow.    
  
And there was that not smile-smile again as she straightened her shoulders. “I didn’t mean that you weren’t capable of thinking out such a plan, merely a comment on how well thought out it was in so little time and no preparation,” she placated. 

Mirith rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to snort and mutter a curse. That was child-like. “You don’t get to where I am, or live to how old I am, without learnin how to put together a half true story. Enough truth and fact is in it to keep them from tracking shit down, and when the actual story breaks, it’ll be passed off as police speculation about gangs. Shit happens often enough. And horrible as it is,” he added, shooting a glance at Kankri, then Feferi, Camilia and Eridan, “This gives me leverage over the old assholes who think they run my show.” 

“Don’t they?” Dave asked and Mirith barked a laugh.    
  
“Little man, they run your life so much as you let them. Your sister’s, Camilia, Fef and Meenah sure as hell don’t seem inclined to let them write laws about their bodies when it’s been hell knows how long since the old shits so much as seen a woman naked, let alone fucked one. Or, have a decent understanding of how the human female body works.”    
  
“And you do?” Feferi asked, innocent tone belying the ice in her eyes.    
  
Mirith gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Know a damn sight more than they do. I actually have women in my council that I defer to on such topics, for one. For another, I ain’t gonna assume I know shit about what’s best for a group of people I got no right deciding shit for. I’ve been alive a long  _ long  _ time, Feferi Piexes. You don’t get to my age and not learn what shit you can control and what shit you best leave to those who know what the hell they’re talkin about.”    
  
“Know your shit before you eat shit,” Dirk drawled from his seat, still staring at the ceiling. “Can get behind that.”    
  
“What happened to him?” Mirith asked, looking just a little less surly in his mild concern. 

“He gave a liter and a half of blood to Cro-bro,” Gamzee supplied and Mirith nodded.    
  
“Sleep, Dirk,” he said, for a moment hard edges soft and calm.

It was a little shocking to see, and no one said a thing as he walked over to the other man and plucked the empty orange juice container from his hand and threw it over his shoulder with ease. It landed squarely in the recycling bin. Dirk blinked up at him before he nodded and with a yawn, leaned against Dave’s shoulder and sighed, closing his eyes. 

“S’lright,” he slurred and finally fell back asleep.    
  
Mirith nodded to himself and looked around the room. “Keep an eye on him and Kurloz. Eridan, Kankri, go see Cronus. Amaria and Duncan will be out in a minute,” and with that, he left. He ignored the sound of the others talking as he walked away. He had an idiot to collect.    
  
Duncan and Amaria were walking towards him as he rounded a corner, which didn’t exactly surprise him. Though, Duncan looked a little more like himself finally, if just a little too pinched around his mouth, like he was clenching his jaw to keep himself together. Amaria’s arm was wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close to her side as she nuzzled against the side of his head, purring softly. He could see Silias walking towards them as well, concern written across his face. He gave a small nod and the psionic nodded back, then sped up so he was reaching Amaria and Duncan the same time as Mirith. They all met in the middle of the hall.    
  
“Mir?” Amaria asked, looking up at him like she was surprised to see and not at all like they’d planned this. Her eyes were sharp with worry, concern, and anger, though the last one wasn’t directed at him.    
  
“Hey, little kitty,” he teased, grinning a bit and looking for all the world, relaxed. “How’s Cronus?”    
  
“Holding up,” Duncan mumbled, not looking at him yet. “He’s going to be unconscious for a while, so that’s the best that we can ask for that we even have him with us still. Fuck,” he rubbed at his face and leaned more into Amaria.    
  
“Mari, have you seen Kali?” Silias asked, as if on cue. When she shook her head, Mirith pipped in, 

“He’s still walking with Kurloz. They’ll be fine. You,” he looked at Duncan, “Are a fucking mess, motherfucker. The fuck are you doing, walking around this place? Have you actually slept at all?”    
  
“No, he hasn’t,” Amaria said before Duncan could say anything. “He’s been up since last night, took a four am flight here, and has been awake since.”    
  
Mirith raised an unamused eyebrow as Silias’ brows made an admirable attempt to escape his forehead.    
  
“Dun, the  _ fuck _ ?!” he lowered his voice when Amaria glared at him and continued, “It’s eight in the fucking morning, you need to go home and sleep-”    
  
“Kali and Mari’s is two hours away,” he protested weakly and Mirith huffed, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, silently asking the Messiah’s for strength. This man was an idiot. 

“Which is why you’re coming to my apartment, Duncan,” he said bluntly. “You need to fucking sleep before you end up keeled over and I ain’t dealin with that shit on my watch.” 

Amaria glared at him. “If you hurt my mate-” 

“You’ll make a good go at skinning me, I know,” Mirith said, waving his hand. “He’ll be fine, Mari. No worry.” 

She pursed her lips but nodded, though the light in her eyes was bright with gratitude. He had no doubt that if Duncan were at any point about to collapse on his watch, she and Kaliri would follow through on the threat to skin him and mount his horns like some sort of trophy. Not that they’d be able to pull it off, but he could understand the want to protect their emotionally torn up mate. It didn’t help that Duncan was also slightly smaller than the two of them, and had already been through this particular brand of hell twice before. He sighed and grabbed Duncan’s shoulder, squeezing.    
  
“We can do this one of two ways, Dun. Either I carry you out or you walk out with me like you’re not seconds from collapsing. Though, if you were to collapse, guess the best place for it would be a hospital.”    
  
Duncan gave him a half-hearted glare but then sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes. He shuffled forward, leaving the shelter of Amaria’s arm and resting his forehead against Mirith’s chest.    
  
“I don’t even give a fuck,” he slurred, exhuastion clear in his voice. “I-I just want my kids to be healthy and safe, Mir. I can’t even have that it seems,”    
  
Mirith didn’t even wait for him to finish that train of thought and simply scooped him up into his arms, drawing a surprised squawk from Duncan but no other reaction, which was worrying in it’s own right, but he would worry about that later. He nodded to Amaria and Silias, who looked equal parts smug and shocked.    
  
“I’ll take care of this idiot. I’ll bring him back later when he’s able to function.”    
  
He didn’t wait for a reply and instead walked down the hall and towards the stairs. Duncan didn’t even seem to care, just let himself be carried by the seven foot tall troll like it were a common occurence, legs thrown over one arm while his head rested on Mirith’s, hood pulled up to hide his face. It was clear he was an adult, but no one would know exactly who he was, and Mirith rarely appeared in the public eye without his face painted. It was amusing how easily he could vanish into a crowd, stature notwithstanding when his face wasn’t painted and he didn’t wear his more traditional purple’s and blacks. Though, he would still be cautious and take the back route to his car. He’d seen the police and the journalists gathering, and he didn’t need to beat them off at the moment. Duncan didn’t need that kind of attention. 

He hummed low in his chest while he took the stairs two at a time, quickly making his way downstairs to the ground floor and waiting for a pair of nurses to walk by before pushing the door open with his hip and calmly walking towards the doors. He nodded to the busy receptionist, who barely looked up to acknowledge him and the exhausted mess of a human he carried, which was good for him. The police were gathering in a side waiting room, and he could hear them talking, though he paid no attention to the conversation. He’d already talked to them, given them their orders and warned Kaliri and Kurloz about them. They’d be stationed around Cronus’ ward, not directly outside his room so not to make it obvious, and keep reporter’s from harassing people. He let a long sigh out through his nose as he walked quickly past a few too keen eyed men and women, troll and human alike, who had their notepads and pens at the ready. 

‘ _ Fucking vultures, _ ’ he thought with a disdained scowl, before removing his attention on them entirely and smirked a little at their lack of nerves in approaching him. Well. His voodoo’s may have had a little play in that, but he was fed up with people and he didn’t have time to deal with insignificant mayflies.   
  
He made it to his car, a nondescript grey truck that had been built for trolls. The seats were further back and lower, and the ceiling a little higher. It was a nice car, and it gave him space to stretch out when he needed it. He maneuvered so he held Duncan in one arm, the man not making a sound still, which was worrying in and of itself, and opened the door before gently placing him in the passenger seat.    
  
“You with me, Dun?” he muttered and the human grunted, opening an eye as he was set down.    
  
“I’m fine ke ç icik,” 

Mirith just hummed and patted his shoulder twice before walking around to the driver side and slid in. He heard Duncan’s seat buckle click and hid a small smile, turned the ignition and slowly drove off. He didn’t speak, and he knew Duncan wouldn’t either, not until they were out of the car and he was wrapped up in something warm and had taken a shower and managed to scream his rage and fears to the heaven’s. The drive wasn’t too long, though Mirith made sure to take several “wrong” turns and finally pulled into his garage. He lived in a quieter part of the city, not upscale and not mid-tier, but it was nice enough and he had room to sprawl when he was home. Which was, quite frankly, fairly rare, for him to be in his own damn apartment for longer than two weeks straight. Part of the reason he never moved into someplace that was bigger than he needed. He rarely entertained, he didn’t need much, and he wasn’t home often enough to appreciate anything. But, when he was, it was nice to have a clean place at least. He made his way to Duncan’s door and opened it, watching the human extract himself from the car. It was less like he was getting out and more like he stumbled out, barely catching himself on his feet before his face met the cold, unforgiving concrete. Mirith put a steadying hand on his shoulder and made a low noise in his chest. Duncan just kept his eyes closed and hummed and he sighed.    
  
“Let’s get inside, motherfucker.” 

He gently herded Duncan towards the doors that lead inside, and then past the entry desk with barley a nod to the sleepy attendant. Duncan was practically tripping over his own feet on the way to the elevator, and he barely seemed to take in the scenery around him. Mirith hummed, noting the darker color of the walls. They’d painted them then. He pressed the button before Duncan and wrapped an arm loosely around his shoulders, tugging him to rest against his chest.    
  
“Rest, you idiot,” he huffed, resting his chin on Duncan’s head for a moment and smiling in triumph when Duncan leaned against him, tension draining out of him slowly. 

The soft  _ dng _ of the elevator barley seemed to rouse him and Mirith herded him inside, gently steering him and pressing the button for the sixteenth floor. 

“You live too high up,” Duncan muttered, leaning against him still, face half pressed into his chest. It was an attempt at normal conversation, even though Mirith knew how unsteady he was inside. He just hummed.    
  
“Sixteen out of twenty ain’t too high. Sides, I got a nice big place to sprawl, when I’m there at least. Pretty homey too. Maid service is a fucking miracle, tell ya that.”    
  
That got an amused snort and weak, forced chuckle and Mirith sighed once more. This was going to be a long day. The ride was quiet, and no one else seemed to be up and about at that time, which he would take gladly. Duncan was twitchy against his chest, shoulders moving like he wanted to move away but then held himself back, or maybe like he wanted to move his arms from where they hung limply by his sides. The doors opened, thankfully, before Duncan could start pacing and really making Mirith worry, and he shepherded the smaller man out of the box and down the warmly lit hall towards his apartment. The doors were evenly spaced, at least twenty paces between each door, dark wooden doors with copper numbers proclaiming the apartment. Mirith pulled his keys out for 1116 and quickly unlocked the door, going in ahead of Duncan out of sheer habit.    
  
He looked around with a critical eye, taking in the stale aired apartment. His small entry hall was cool, though he knew the heat would turn on soon, following a cycle. The air, though stale, smelled like witch hazel and incense, which meant the cleaning crew hadn’t been in since he’d stopped by two days ago. Good. He’d rather the more familiar smell than chemical’s, and he knew Duncan’s frayed nerves were near shot, and chemical’s were a big nope. He untied his boots and toed them off, kicking them into their little cubby under his small coat rack nailed on the wall. He clicked on the light and headed deeper into his apartment. The low lighting he preferred was easier on the eyes, and he didn’t need a lot of light to see in the first place. The smell of his apartment, now growing familiar, was comforting. He paced down the short entry hall to the living room, which melded with the kitchen almost seamlessly. He walked around the coffee table, in front of the tv station that he rarely got to use, and he wasn’t entirely sure was plugged in, to the kitchen and checked his fridge. His lips curled up a little in amusement at seeing the fridge already stocked with food and made a mental note to do something nice for his assistant. That woman handled his life so well, and made sure everything was smooth as possible. He could hear Duncan shutting and locking the door, then taking off his shoes, and called,    
  
“Just toss them into the cubby and then go to my room to get a shower. I’ll work on breakfast.”    
  
He heard an affirming grunt in reply and quickly shut the fridge doors to go check the bedroom. The nice thing about having a single bed apartment was that he didn’t really need to live in it all the time, and he had less to check on. He had turned the “guest bedroom” into a study, which housed his smaller library, desk, and encrypted laptop, courtesy of one Silias Captor. He made some noise as he walked across the hardwood floor, down the short hall to the room in the back. There was no noise, and when he opened his bed room, it was clean as he’d left it. His clothes were still thrown over the back of his chair, but that didn’t really matter. He tugged at his suit and made a quietly disgusted noise and made the snap decision of stripping out of it and putting on his more favored sweats and a sleeveless shirt. His suit went on the chair to be hung up later and taken out to dry cleaning. He paused, then rooted around his drawers for a moment before he pulled out a pair of Duncan’s old sweats and a hoodie of his he knew the smaller man favored and left them on the bed. He stepped on his socks and peeled them off his feet, cracking his toes with a sigh of relief before he left the slowly warming, low lit room to check on Duncan.    
  
The other man was simply staring at the wall, leaning against the bay window, head tipped back and eyes looking down and away. Mirith clicked his tongue, standing several feet away as he said,    
  
“Look, I know I’ve got a pretty nice place, but you need a fucking shower before I let you linger any longer, Dun. You reek.”    
  
“I do not-”    
  
“You smell like recycled air and lysol. You stink. Be glad I don’t sleep in slime or else I’d be threatening to dunk you in sopor to get rid of it.” he wrinkled his nose and watched Duncan roll his eyes before shuffling off to get a proper shower. “And toss your clothes in the hamper in the bathroom! I’m not letting you wear those things while they smell like airplane and hospital while you’re here,” he said to the human’s back. He got a vague hand wave in response, but he knew Duncan heard him. He was already tugging his shirt off, jacket likely hung in the hall. 

With a sigh, Mirith went over to a bookshelf by the window and pulled out a few thicker books, leaving them on the coffee table, then went to the hall closet and grabbed a thick wool blanket and draped it over the back of the couch. He fussed for a moment with it before he returned to the closet and grabbed a few incense sticks and holders and started setting them around the kitchen and living room. One went on the coffee table, another in the middle of the kitchen table, and a third on the little island that rarely saw use. He lit them one by one, waiting for the flame to catch before blowing it out and watching the warm orange glow slowly eat away at the incense. The smell was very light, but calming. Duncan was much worse off than he would admit, and he knew the smell was comforting. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep the other from snapping. And if it wasn’t, well… There was a reason he’d paid extra to have soundproofing. Many assumed because, as a purple, if he ever went into a Carnie rage, the sounds of his screams and laughter would be enough to drive someone insane. In actuality, it was more for when he woke up from night terrors, or when he really needed to scream. It didn’t cancel out all the noise, but it was enough to muffle it to the point that it was barely heard. He let out another long sigh and looked around the room. 

Warm yellow walls greeted him, broken up by large paintings and photographs, some done by his sons, and others were done by friends or the rare professional when he saw fit to hang a portrait or two. The hardwood floor was broken up by a soft white rug that had a dark grey pattern on it, much like a lattice structure. It was soft underfoot and ran almost all the way around the room. The couch was a dark brown, almost black, and made of some kind of soft fabric and the cushions were always soft. The armchair right next to it was large enough for him to sit comfortably, almost like a throne, and read, feet kicked up on his little ottoman. The large bay window was at the north of the room, almost dead center, and took up a large portion of the wall, covered with heavy, dark grey curtains at the moment. Built-in bookshelves took up any wall space that didn’t have a painting or photograph, and in the kitchen, smaller versions of his boy’s works took up every possible surface. Mostly on his large fridge that sat in the corner, it’s cool metalic surface carefully buried under photo’s in black and white and color, and colorful sketches and sealed charcoal drawings. He didn’t have to think as he grabbed the ingredients for breakfast he’d made so many times since meeting Duncan. It just so happened that his large appetite matched the man’s love of a “proper breakfast”.    
  
He grabbed olives and his favorite jam, goat cheese, sausage and bacon, what fruit and vegetables he could find, and eggs, setting them all down on the counter before grabbing bagels and cutting four in half before popping them in the toaster. He could hear the shower just starting up and started a running clock for how long Duncan had been there. Any more than twenty minutes and he’d go get him. That firmly in the forefront of his mind, he let his thoughts wander as he let himself relax into the ritual of cooking a proper breakfast. He rarely got to eat a full spread, usually snacking on olives and cheese, maybe a bagel with a jam spread before hustling out the door to a meeting or staying late. His stomach yowled at him to hurry up as he made the eggs sunny side up and slid them onto two plates, then checked the meat in another pan he’d put on. It was sizzling happily and seemed to be crisping up nicely, and he hummed the dregs of a song to himself as he flipped it with a fork, putting olives in a nice bowl and plucked the bagels that popped out of the toaster out and replacing them with untoasted ones. The toasted ones he cut in half again and put on another plate, then grabbed his electric kettle and filled it with water from the sink before hitting the button to make it boil the water. The whole apartment soon smelled like cooking meat, eggs, and toasted bread, which was enticing to anyone. Namely, a stubborn idiot who seemed to think that he was part fish.    
  
Mirith sighed as his mental clock hit thirty minutes, just as the water began to boil and turned on the oven, sliding the cooked meat onto their plates, then placing them in the oven to keep warm. He set the table with the jam and bagels, bowl of olives, plate of cut fruit and vegetables, goat and feta cheese resting on another plate with a knife waiting, and set out two faintly chipped mugs at two seats at the roundtable before he went to collect his friend.    
  
“Dun,” he said as he walked down the hall, letting his voice carry. “I made breakfast. I know you needed a shower, motherfucker, but you aren’t part fucking fish.” he stopped just outside his room, still hearing the shower but no signs of distress. He frowned nonetheless and pushed open the door with the warning,    
  
“I’m coming in. Don’t care if you’re decent,” and found his room empty, though the clothes he’d left out weren’t on the bed anymore. He looked from his large bed to the bathroom and raised a brow at the steam that was seeping underneath the door. “You trying to drown in a shower?” he called, walking over.    
  
“Fuck off,” came the faintly amused but mostly exhausted reply and Mirith felt his shoulders relax as he rolled his eyes. 

“You gonna stay in there all damn day or do I have to drag you out? It’s been thirty minutes, Duncan.” 

“I- Shit.” 

The water cut off and he could hear the door to the shower squeak open. There was rustling as Duncan dried himself off and then dressed himself and Mirith let himself relax against the wall by his bed, watching the door. In less than two minutes, a freshly washed, faintly red-skinned Duncan emerged and gave Mirith a faint smile, which was forced. He looked so small in his hoodie, the sleeves rolled up three times so he could use his hands, and the neck dipped to his collarbones. His hair stuck up every which way, curling slightly. Duncan Ampora looked adorable, but washed out. Exhausted in a bone-deep way.    
  
“Breakfast?” he asked.    
  
“Breakfast,” Mirith agreed. 

He lead the other down the hall to the kitchen and stared at him when he made to go to the kitchen. With a weak chuckle, Duncan sat down and let Mirith grab their plates from the oven and pour their tea. When he set it in front of him, Duncan looked at the full spread with slowly widening eyes as he realized the full extent. 

“You made kahvalti,” 

Mirith rolled his eyes and snagged a few olives before taking a slice of bagel and spreading jam on it.    
  
“You wish. I made what I could with what I had. It isn’t fresh as it should be, and it’s been a hell of a fucking two days for both of us. Besides that, you always make a better kahvalti than me.”    
  
His voice was gentle for all that he was normally very gruff and sour, and Duncan smiled, blinking back tears once more as he dug into the meal. It wasn’t the best spread, but it was heartfelt, and that’s what mattered. Mirith kept an eye on him as they ate, steadily devouring everything laid out in front of them both. They ate in peaceful silence, Duncan occasionally making to say something before shutting his mouth and stopping. Mirith simply ate and waited. He knew how Duncan worked. The shower and food would help him calm down. It did little to soothe his own nerves, knowing how wound up the man was still, but it was worth the effort he put into the little things. Duncan was a man that would talk on his own terms and it was obvious by the tremor’s in his hands and the tick in his jaw that, even as he was enjoying having a full meal, he was close to breaking.    
  
When they finished, dishes washed and put away, Duncan was looking into his tea, sitting on the couch next to Mirith as the other read, one arm draped around the back of the couch and loosely around Duncan’s shoulders. There was no warning, just a small hiccup and then Duncan leaning into his side, clenching his teeth together as his hands shook to keep a hold of his mug. Mirith plucked the mug from his hands and leaned over to put it on the coffee table before wrapping his arms around Duncan, tugging him close. It took a minute to actually get comfortable, Duncan little more than dead weight as he hiccuped to try and keep from sobbing, but Mirith didn’t care. In the end, he ended up with the blanket draped over Duncan while he cuddled the other man to his chest, gently running his fingers through his drying hair.    
  
“Talk to me, Dun,” he murmured, voice a low rumble.    
  
“I-Fucking  _ christ,  _ ke ç icik, I’m his DAD, I should have been abl-able to stop this. This is the third fucking time and what-what if- I can’t-” his words were stumbling off his tongue, each one trying to get out before the next, and quickly devolved into heart-wrenching sobs. 

They were mostly quiet, but punctuated with loud gasps for air and weak hiccuping breaths that stuttered into half-formed words. Mirith didn’t falter, just held the other man close and tugged the blanket close as he could around his friend’s shoulders. He kept his left hand in Duncan’s hair, rubbing gently at his nape and occasionally scratching at his scalp while his right pressed into his back, thumb rubbing up and down now and again, or occasionally kneading at the muscle to keep him from tensing up.    
  
“Shhh,” Mirith murmured now and again, ducking his head, mindful of his horns, “S’lright my brother. I gotcha. Go ahead and let it go. Ain’t nothing gonna happen, ya know that. Your boy’s a strong one.”    
  
It took a while for Duncan to calm down to an understandable level, sniffing and hiccuping, rubbing at his face as he tried to speak properly.    


“I- I fucking  _ can’t _ , ke ç icik,” he managed after several stuttering tries. “I can’t-Ican’t,”    
  
“Can’t what? Lose him? Deal with this again?”    
  
Duncan shook his head and tightened his hold on Mirith’s shirt. “I can’t stop seeing  _ her _ in my mind’s eye. I can’t stop imagining the worst. I can’t stop and  _ think _ ,”    
  
“Well, you are thinkin, just not clearly,” Mirith pointed out calmly, ignoring the knot in his stomach at the obvious pain Duncan was in. He had to restrain himself from papping Duncan and focused on getting him to calm down. “You’re his pops though, so you’re gonna be a little fucked up over it. But, I know he’s gonna be alright. And as for her, she ain’t gonna be coming near him. Or Eri. We made sure of that, remember? Me, you, and Nailia, we took care of that shit forever. She won’t ever get near them.” 

Duncan hiccupped and took a slow, shaky breath. But, he was breathing easier. He nodded, forehead bumping against Mirith’s chest. He hummed softly and ran a large hand up and down his back, rubbing at his spine and pushed down till he heard a faint  _ pop _ and Duncan relaxed against his chest, limp.    
  
“Second thing. This is the third time you’ve had to deal with Cro being in a real bad situation. I know how you feel. My boys scared me shitless more than once, but they made it through. All of them have, and this time is no different. I know you’re scared, but ya have us, plus Camilia, plus Eri, and the whole rest of the crazy fuckers we managed to be adopted by.” That got a wet snort of amusement and Mirith grinned, tilting Duncan’s head up. His other hand left the nape of his neck to wipe away the tears, gently, with the pad of his thumb. “So don’t worry bout it right now. Ya got it outta your system, so now we’re gonna go clean you up, get some more tea and then get some fucking shut eye. It is too damn early for any kind of bullshit.”    
  
Duncan sniffed and gave a weak smile, but he looked better than before. The fear that lingered in his eyes wasn’t there anymore, and the exhausted, pained light that replaced it made Mirith want to hold him for longer and never let him go. He was already tempted to steal his oldest friend from Kaliri and Amaria, if that didn’t invite their own need to get their mate back. 

“Thanks, ke ç icik,” he murmured, leaning up and resting his forehead against his, eyes closed. “I don’t know what’d I do without ya,”    
  
“Probably crash into an emotional heap on the floor,”    
  
Duncan snorted but made no move to get up and Mirith made no move to let him go. They stayed like that for several long minutes until Mirith finally sat up, still holding Duncan, and then stood, making his way to the bedroom. Duncan just wrapped his arms around Mirith’s neck and squeezed his hips with his legs, clinging to him like a koala bear. Mirith gave him a soft smile, which Duncan missed, and gently set him on the bed before he went to the bathroom to grab a washcloth to help him clean up. Duncan didn’t fight him when he came back, just let him turn his head gently this way and that as he made gentle sweeps with the warm, wet cloth. He brushed back his curling hair and rubbed at the tip of one of the scars that ran across his face, a rattling, rusty purr building in his chest as Duncan leaned into it. It was a quiet moment, just them. It was nice, and intimate in a whole different level, almost like moirails. Mirith stood after a few minutes and tossed the now cool washcloth, without looking, into the hamper just inside the door of the bathroom before he went back to the kitchen-living room to grab their phones and a glass of water for Duncan.    
  
When he came back to his room, he was greeted with a sleepy Duncan still staring blearily at the doorway, waiting for him, but this time burrowed under the thick comforter and the wool blanket spread out haphazardly over top the comforter. He chuckled and rolled his eyes, setting their phones and the water on the bedside table before he went over to the light switch and turned off the lights, then to the window and made sure the curtain’s were shut tight. When he was sure there was no possible thing that would disturb them, aside from their phone’s going off, he climbed into his bed and yawned, pulling Duncan close. The other went easily, half sprawling on his chest and nuzzling into his hold, Mirith’s arms wrapping around him. He was a lot cooler than the surrounding room, and Duncan was almost a furnace. They made a nice pair, balancing each other out as they laid there, just breathing and slipping towards sleep.    
  
“I know Kurloz and Gamzee are alright too,” Duncan slurred sleepily just as Mirith was relaxing. He grunted but didn’t open his eyes. Duncan continued, “Kali is with Loz, he’ll take care of him and Mari is with Gamzee, plus Kankri and Karkat are there too. They’ll be well taken care of.”    
  
Mirith hummed, a soft smile on his face as he ran a hand through Duncan’s hair. “Sleep, Dun. Kurloz is fine, I know,”    
  
He didn’t add that he was grateful for the other’s assurance. He knew Duncan knew. He let out a long breath and let himself relax into sleep, belied with the warmth of his friend pressed close and the knowledge that his son’s were safe. The cold air had always helped them calm down. 

_-_-_-

Kurloz couldn't lie. The cold, biting air made him feel better. That there was no one else but him and Kaliri made it a little better. He knew the older troll was calm, reliable. Steady. It took alot to push him over the edge, and he had to admit, it was impressive, and appreciated, how well he was handling everything.   


"They said Cro would be moved out of ICU in a few days, at the latest," Kaliri was saying, like he was commenting on the weather.   


Kurloz just nodded and let out a long breath. 

"Yeah... Small miracles, I guess."    


Kaliri merely hummed.   
  
"You know," he said, after they'd crunched over a new patch of ice and snow, "I know you're in love with him, Kurloz."    


He stopped, completely, staring at Kaliri, eyes wide and hands frozen in mid-air, a retort dying on his tongue. Kaliri turned and looked at him, a warm smile on his face.    


"You're not particularly subtle, Kurloz. Hell, I think Cronus is the only one who hasn't noticed. You're both annoying thick-skulled, though I'm sure he'll get it soon enough, even if you just started dating."    


"Really that obvious?" Kurloz asked, feeling a bright lilac blush at his nose and ears. It spread as Kaliri's smile got wider and the other troll laughed. It was such a comforting, bright sound.    


"Yup," he popped the P. "You two are ridiculous. I thought your father and Dun were thick, but pretty sure  you two are a close second."   


Kurloz stared at him, incomprehension written across his face. Kaliri shook his head and sighed, heavier and more dramatic than the first. He slowly walked over to Kurloz and patted his shoulder.   


"You'll figure it out, don't worry." He chuckled. "I'm sure Meenah's already given you the spiel about hurting Cro, ans gods know you've heard it from Mari and Dun already."   


Kurloz nodded and opened his mouth to speak when Kaliri said,   


"Alright then, so I don't have to warn you. Good to know," the hand on his shoulder didn't tighten, but Kurloz wished it did. 

He was sharply reminded on Kankri, last night, barely a few hours ago, holding him down in the snow. Only then, he hadn't felt much more than a mild sense of fear, more for hurting his friend. Now, staring into the eyes of a man who had everything to lose, it made a shiver crawl down his back. Compared to the others who'd given him a speech about hurting Cronus, Kaliri didn't have to say anything. The light in his eyes, a heavy, intense thing that didn't waver, a conviction born from something untamable, was terrifying. Kurloz had no doubts that where his sons and daughters had anger in them, they paled in comparison. He was patiently angry, dangerous. It was more than wrath, something deep and coiled inside him that Kaliri had obviously spent a long time handling. He didn't need to speak to threaten Kurloz. And unlike everyone else who had over Cronus, or even, as he cast his mind back, had ever threatened him, Kaliri was the first to actual scare Kurloz.    


He couldn't breathe. He didn't want to. There was something telling him to remain as still as he could and let the predator in front of him uncoil and leave. He was ready to flee.   


"This isn't about just Cronus, Kurloz," his voice was even. It was disturbing. "This is about my entire family. I know that you have dangerous days, and something dark in you. I will hold you accountable for whatever happens to Cronus, not because he is part of my family, but because of your love for him. Hurt him, or yourself, and there will be nowhere to hide from me. I will not threaten you, because I respect and care for you, but you are no longer allowed to be reckless with yourself, or with Cronus. And I do not say this as a threat, or to scare you. I say it because you need to hear it, and because I know you are young and dumb, and for the mistakes, I know you'll make, I'm here for you and I won't judge you. I will hit you upside the head if I must and then hug you, or help you however I must."   


"That all?" Kurloz almost smacked himself in the face at his stupidity. 

_ ‘Don't piss off the predator!!’  _ his mind screamed, frantic. It took a lot of his self control to keep his voodoo’s from flaring up.   
  
Oddly, Kaliri just smiled and with that look in his eyes, it was jarring. Harsh against soft. Terrifying against comforting. It hurt to try and parse through.    


"No. I'm saying all of this because you need to hear it. Because the minute Mirith became our friend, you and Gamzee were in our family as well. You two are important to me. I'm telling you all this because I know you'll fuck up, and I know you'll be scared, but I know that I'll love you just the same." 

He tugged just a little and Kurloz bent automatically. Kaliri pressed a kiss to his forehead and patted his shoulder. The glimpse of anger faded from his eyes and was replaced with the same warmth that was always there.   


"I know your father has said something similar to you two, but not in so many words. And the reason I tell you this now instead of with Meulin is because Cronus has been shattered too many times to believe his heart is still whole. Meulin has had heart break, but she knows she's still whole."   


Kurloz nodded numbly and Kaliri smiled. It was soft and inviting, and despite the fear that still lingered in Kurloz, he couldn't help but relax. That anger was always in Kaliri. That was still the man he knew.    


"...Thanks," he managed, unsure if he had the words for what he wanted to say, or even if he did, if he'd know how to use them.    


Kaliri patted his back and shrugged. "Let's get back to the hospital. I'm sure Duncan and Mirith are gone by now, and Cronus won't wake up any time soon but he'd probably like the company.”

Kurloz just nodded and followed the older troll, still feeling like he’d escaped being torn limb from limb in some way. It was more than a little terrifying to know how quickly Kaliri could cover that intense rage that he’d just glimpsed. And Kurloz wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know what it was actually like, even if he weren’t the one that Kaliri were angry at. The walk back was short and silent, though, perhaps oddly, it was a comfortable silence. He let Kaliri lead him into the hospital, which were now starting to swarm with police and more than one reporter, but none of them approached. Kurloz wasn’t sure if it was just him and the faint air of his voodoo’s that gave off that air or if it was Kaliri’s near gleefully determined glare and confident walk that acted as a deterrent, or both, but either way, they made it up to the room without being stopped. Thankfully. Kurloz checked his phone as they walked down the hall towards Cronus’ room and felt his heart jump. It was barely ten in the morning.    
  
“Motherfuck,” he said hoarsely and Kaliri paused.    
  
“Kurloz?” 

“It’s barely ten in the morning… My mate-boy- _Cronus_ got stabbed last night. And I just,” 

“Yeah,” Kaliri sighed, rubbing at his face. “It’s been a long night. I’m about to kick Dirk, Dave, Rose, Kanaya, Fef, Eri, Cami, Gamzee, and Karkat out, get them home. David said he’d be here soon, and Mom will be here in an hour or two as well.”    
  
Kurloz gave a small nod and took a shuddering breath, looking down the hall. It seemed almost comically long all of a sudden.    
  
“Go and see him,” Kaliri said softly. “I think Meenah is the only one with him right now,”    
  
He nodded and took another, steadier breath, before making his way down the hall, each step feeling like it was echoing in the back of his mind like some kind of movie. Only, it wasn’t a movie that he could pause. It was life. It wasn’t a dream that he could skip out of or conjure a door out of. It was  _ life _ and he wasn’t sure he knew how to deal with it. He paused when he reached Cronus’ door, closing his eyes tightly and letting out a long breath, bracing himself. He could do this. He pushed open the door and then just  stood there, in the doorway, hovering like he was more part of the scenery than an actual troll. He felt like a part of the door. Maybe he should have shut it instead of coming inside, not that Meenah noticed him. She seemed to be in the middle of a rant.    
  
"You absolute piece of shit," she snarled, fingers curling in his bed sheets, shoulders shaking. "Ya just  _ had _ to go and get hurt! Because ya can't go without five fuckin minutes of making me worry over ya like some twisted complex. I'm sure Rose will love to dissect that one when your stupid ass finally wakes up." She paused, staring at him. 

Well, glaring. He looked awful. Bruises were littered across his arms, neck and, face. His head was wrapped in gauze and cotton pads, and one eye was covered, his lip was stitched where it had been split. He was too pale, too limp. His right arm was secured to his chest so he couldn't move his shoulder, and his wrist was in a cast, as well as a few fingers. An IV line was stuck in his left hand, a blood transfusion, courtesy of one Dirk Strider, skewered in the soft flesh of his inner elbow. His neck was unbandaged, showing off the old scars and new bruising that made a blotchy pattern in the vague shape of a scarf. His chest was barely rising and falling, and oxygen tubes were hooked into his nose.It didn't look like Cronus. He was just laying there, asleep. And that was the problem because that's  _ all _ he was doing. 

"You're an asshole," Meenah was snarling, though with no venom. "You say you're fine and then ya end

up here!! Three fucking times, and this time it's cause ya can't fight back!" She was shaking harder. "Bastard son of a whore, wake up. You're a shit liar, and I know you're not really asleep. You can't fake anything." She paused again, bowing her head and holding his good arm, clutching it like a lifeline.    
"You're not supposed to be here  _ again _ for fuckssake! You're supposed to be stupid and happy, and go out and get whatcha want... I even dropped the puns, Cronus. So, ya gotta wake up. Please... Please Please pleasepleaseplease, you gotta... Ya can't just up leave me and Eri and everyone else. Please." Tears were falling in earnest as she took hiccuping breaths. "I'm begging you, Cro... Ya gotta come back."   


Kurloz wanted to leave for a moment, get out of the room that was filled with too much. But, he swallowed that and walked further inside. He'd run into Kankri if he left at any rate, him and Callie and he didn't fancy having to deal with both of them. Instead, he went over to Meenah and put a feather-light hand on her shoulder and barely squeezed. It was barely there, but she leaned into his side, hiccuping and crying.

"... He'll be okay, wicked sister," he murmured. "He's gonna wake up soon and he'll be right as  fuckin rain,” 

She nodded and pressed herself into his side, hiccuping. He couldn’t look away from Cronus, couldn’t look away from the bruises that were slowly blooming on his face and neck. He felt bile rise to the back of his throat and turned his head away from a minute to recollect himself. Meenah was still crying against his side, a sound he would usually find annoying but at the moment, he was happy to have someone else crying. It made it easier to focus on the fact that he couldn’t shed a damn tear. He pushed those thoughts away and bit the inside of his cheek till it bled. It was a nice distraction. His hand absently rubbed between Meenah’s shoulders, and he could feel his chest rumbling in a rusty purr. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t have words. He wanted things to be alright, but he couldn’t entirely believe that they would be. And why should they be? Life was a bitch and a half, and it seemed that things were just going to stay that way. She didn’t look up as Kankri slipped into the room with Porrim, who took one look at the sobbing Meenah and squared her shoulders. She seemed to glide towards them, crouching so she was eye level with the other woman, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Meenah, darling,” Porrim said, not making Meenah look at her. “Come with me. Let’s get you some water to drink and then something to eat, alright? You’ve been here with Cronus for almost two hours, you need to rest as well, and Kankri and Kurloz will be here. They’ll call you the moment he changes, you know that-” 

“I’m not leaving him,” Meenah snapped through her tears. “I promised I wouldn’t ever leave him, and look where it landed him!” 

Porrim didn’t even seem phased and just nodded. “Alright,” she compromised. “How about we get you cleaned up a bit, some water and food, and then you get a twenty minute nap with me. Then, you can come right back here. An hour difference won’t change anything, and Cronus is expected to be asleep for a few more hours, at least another day, while his body recovers.”    
  
Kurloz watched Kankri bite his lips to keep from correcting her and felt worry spike. Was he expected to sleep  _ longer  _ than a day?! His worry must have been plain because Kankri just shook his head a little and signed when Meenah wasn’t looking, 

_ He’s expected to wake up in the next day or two, at most. His body needs time to recuperate, especially after losing so much blood. The doctors expect him to make a full recovery, and assured us that he’d be awake soon.  _

Kurloz nodded a little and squeezed Meenah’s other shoulder. “You should get going, wicked sister,” he said quietly, as though Cronus really just were napping. “You need to take care of yourself too. Cronus wouldn’t like that you’re wearing yourself down for him,”    
  
A low blow, but it seemed to do the trick. Meenah took a slow breath and nodded, drying her tears. “Right.” she looked at Kankri, then him and glared. “You watch after him, bouys, and if you ain’t, you come find me. Clear?”    
  
“Crystal,” Kankri said before Kurloz could speak. 

Not that he minded. He simply nodded and let her go, watching as Porrim helped her stand and lead her out of the room, talking quietly all the while but Kurloz wasn’t paying attention. When they’d left, Kurloz and Kankri stared at each other. Neither could put into words how they felt about the man that was lying there, unnaturally still and just a little too cool for comfort. Kankri let out a long breath and finally looked down at his moirail. He sat down on the edge of the bed, holding Cronus’ hand as tight as he could and didn’t say a thing. Kurloz didn’t blame him, or attempt to start his own conversation. His teeth were still on a bit of an edge and he almost flinched when Kankri reached, silently, and took his hand in his own, and then pressed it against Cronus’ heart. He pressed his hot hand over Kurloz’s and then quietly, 

“We almost lost him… But we didn’t. He’s still here.”    
  
"Yeah,” Kurloz croaked, closing his eyes. He could feel the pulse under his fingers, where his hand was pressed against Cronus’ chest, fingers twitching in restraint so not to bunch up and scratch him, or pull at the wires tapped there. He took a deep breath, but stayed silent. Kankri didn’t utter another word, and they sat there, in worried silence. An hour passed before he realized it, and he watched as Kankri managed to worm his way underneath the wires and IV line to curl against Cronus’ side. It made a bit of a smile pull at his lips and he sighed, finally moving his hand. The sound of the heart machines was too much. His fingers started bunching at Cronus’ chest before he let out a long breath and shook his head, dropping his hand.   
  
“I’m going on a walk.” He muttered, finally standing. He shrugged off his jacket and draped it across Cronus and Kankri’s legs. “I’ll have one of the others come sit with you, little red.” Kankri nodded and gave him a sympathetic look.    
  
“Take care of yourself first, Kurloz.”   
  
Kurloz just nodded and walked out of the room towards the waiting room, He tapped Meenah on the shoulder, and he was privately happy to see that she looked much better than she had an hour before. She was sitting next to Porrim, texting. She looked up at him and nodded, squeezing his fingers for a brief moment before she stood and went to go take his spot. He looked around the room and raised his brow.    


“Where’s everyone else?” he asked and Mr. Egbert looked up from his crossword, giving him a sympathetic look.    
  
“Kaliri and Amaria took Eridan back to their home, Camilia and Feferi went with them. Dave, Dirk, Karkat, Gamzee, Rose and Kanaya had been shooed home, deciding to go to Amaria and Kaliri’s house and your father took Duncan to his apartment about two hours ago, according to Amaria. She doesn’t know when or if they’ll be back today, though it’s likely they’ll be over at Kaliri and Amaria’s later.” he said and Kurloz nodded, sighing through his nose.    
  
“Myself, John, Roxy, Jade, Aradia, Nepeta, Meulin, Sollux and Porrim are going to stay here for a while, keep an eye on you, Kankri, Meenah and Cronus, and Rosa will be here in about thirty minutes. Everyone else is either coming or working on figuring out what to do next.” he continued. 

“Oh, and Vriska, Damara, and Tavros are finally home, they managed to find out some information but they’re not really telling anyone anything,” John said, looking up from his phone. He was leaned against Roxy, Jade on his other side, fiddling with a book as she tried to keep her mind on one topic it seemed. 

Sollux was next to Roxy and Aradia, earbuds in and head in his hands as Roxy rubbed at the base of his neck with one hand, the other holding her phone as she scrolled through something. Aradia was leaning her head against his, humming softly, and it seemed to make his shoulders loosen as he breathed. Nepeta and Meulin looked up, perched on chairs next to Mr. Egbert, giving him worried looks. They had every right to be worried, but it just made him feel more like he was suffocating. Porrim herself was talking quietly with Meenah, giving him a quick glance before turning back to the other girl.

“Going on a walk,” he muttered and they all nodded. No one spoke as he hunched his shoulders and walked. He moved quickly, letting his feet carry him where they would, ignoring the hospital staff and thankful that he couldn’t hear the rapid click of Porrim’s shoes as she followed him. As he was passing Cronus’ room, he spotted a woman in a wheelchair, holding onto an IV line, pushing herself down the hall. She looked frail and unbelievably familiar, but Kurloz was certain he’d never seen her before in his life.    
  
“Oh, hello,” she said, noticing him as he walked by. He gave a nod. 

“Help an old woman get back to her room?” She wheezed, giving him a weak smile. Her shoulders had a pale pink wrap around them and she had a blue bandanna around her head. There wasn’t any hair on her, he noticed distantly, though her pale skin was stretched thin over frail limbs, she seemed to be strong enough to push herself along a little bit at a time. She sounded faintly French. Something was pulling at his memory, but it was too faint to grasp.   
  
“…Where’s your room?” He asked. Maybe it’d help get his mind off Cronus.

“Oh, on the floor below this one. I just thought I would go on a little jaunt,” she wheezed a chuckled, coughing. “I’m not what I used to be, though.”

“Hmm,” he grabbed the handles and started to gently push her down the hall. 

“A nice nurse pushed me up here,” she was saying. “But then I told him I would be fine at the window, and then I wandered a bit. It really does take it out of me, I doubt I’ll be here much longer.”   
  
“Mnh.”   
  
“Oh, I’m sorry Cher. You must not want to hear the ramblings of an old woman like myself. I’m just lonely, I seem to be willing to babble just about anyone’s ear off.”    
  
“…I don’t mind,” he muttered. “Trying to keep my mind off shit.”    
  
"Oh, well then. Perhaps I can help you and you can help me,” she said, sounding brighter. “Lonely old woman and a lonely young man. Life has a very strange way of working out.”    
  
“Yeah.” he muttered.    
  
She sighed and after a beat of silence, started up again. “I’m dying. My own fault really. I never took care of myself like I should have after my husband died.”    
  
"Hmn.”    
  
“He was such a lovely man, had the prettiest grey eyes, like the sea on a foggy day. Most would say the sea isn’t pretty without the sun, but I always thought that the sea was most beautiful when you couldn’t see it all and were left to wonder the depths it went.” She sighed. “He was such a good man… Tall and strong, he could always make me laugh. I wonder if I will be seeing him soon, or if he will still be waiting. Cancer is a hell of a thing, it eats away at you and makes you realize what’s happened to you, and what you’ve done. And part of me wonders if I don’t deserve it.”

“Hmm?” He hummed, getting them to the elevator and pushing the down button. He wheeled her inside and then hit the fifth floor.    
  
“There’s nothing that we don’t deserve,” she said suddenly. “Love, trust, family… It can all be quite the heady mix… And when it’s taken away, there’s nothing left for you. You become a shell. I will admit, I hated it so when my man left… He was gone so long, and I hated it so much. I couldn’t stand the sight of him, of any part of him being there. But, then, he came back and I remembered why I loved him.” She gave a weak laugh. “My mother had a thing or seven to say about me marrying him, about how I would miss him too much when he was at sea, and that he’d have other women in different ports. But not my Trevor. He was a good man, loyal to me as I was to him. He always came home, until he was taken.”   
  
“How?” Kurloz couldn’t stop himself from asking as he pushed her out of the elevator and headed down the hall, moving slowly. “Which one’s your room?”   
  
“Oh, this one, here at the end. Thank you Cher.” She said, smiling at him.   
  
‘ _ She must have been beautiful when she was healthy, _ ’ he thought distantly.   
  
“Hmm? Oh, yes. How my husband died.” She sighed, unprompted, as Kurloz wheeled her towards her room. A nurse was there, making up the bed once more. “He died at sea, in a freak storm. A rogue wave, they said. It tore the ship apart with the rage of a vengeful god. Ah, hello Nancy! I’m back, this lovely young man came to drop me off.” The nurse, a troll with shock white hair, bright lime green eyes, and horns that seemed to spiral  and bend, looked up and gave him a radiant smile.    
  
“Kurloz! Hello my dear friend!” she looked at the woman and gave her a softer smile. “Come now dear, it is time for you to rest.”    
  
“Oh, but I was just getting to know him,” she yawned.

“You need to take your medicine for today and then rest up.” Calliope scolded, helping the frail woman out of the chair and into the bed. Kurloz just waited, awkward. 

He looked over at the side table and saw a flower vase filled with daffodils, despite the winter season. There were some other knick-knacks here and there, things that tugged at his memory, teasingly out of reach. Finally, Calliope finished helping her and got her to bed, then gave Kurloz a small smile before leading him out of the room. He didn’t even realize she’d taken the chair from him. She stopped a little ways away down the hall and pulled him into a tight hug, which he gladly returned. Mother grub, but he’d missed her. She’d been in England for god knew how long, and then moved back to America, yes, but it was so hard to keep in touch with her. 

“How have you been?” she asked, pulling away a little and looking up at him.    
  
He shrugged. “Better,” he mumbled and Callie frowned, staring at him until he sighed and looked her in the eyes. “Exhausted. Been a long day and a half, little sister.” 

She gave a sympathetic nod. “I’m sure it has. I heard from Roxy that you were dating Cronus… Is that the same Cronus that I treated in the back of an ambulance for a stab wound?”    
  
He gave a short nod and ouffed as she hugged him tighter. “Oh, my dear friend, I’m so sorry! I wish I had known, I would have done more! I could have done something-”    
  
“Callie, you did fine,” he managed, just a touch breathless. “He’s alive. Asleep, but alive. That’s all I can ask for, I guess. Messiah’s know that I’ve wanted more.” 

She gave him a long look and he sighed again, leaning down till his forehead rested on her’s. She wasn’t too much shorter than him, thankfully. He couldn’t recall any prayers that would invoke them, but he remembered enough to bring their attention, more accurately, the attention of the Muse, who was usually the kinder of the two. His voice was barely a whisper but rose and fell, like he was singing. 

“...We sat on the roof on New Years Eve, drinking sparkling apple cider like idiots. He told me he didn’t believe in romance, or in love. I told him I didn’t believe in religion, but I swear I’ll do anything if you just give him back to me. Please, Messiah’s, don’t take him from me, I beg you…” 

“And a miraculous amen,” Calliope murmured, squeezing him once more.    
  
She’d been raised by a purple blood with her hatch mate, Caliborn, who was another mutant scarlet blood, like Kaliri, Kankri and Karkat, while Calliope had been a lime blood. Her only mutation seemed to be the complete lack of pigmentation in her hair, and that her cheeks were a little too sharp and high, her fangs a little too pronounced. But then, the Church had taken them in, and she’d always taken to the religion, or really, the prayers, more than Kurloz ever had. She claimed she liked how much they sounded like songs, and how good it felt to be so wrapped in a community. It was soothing, comforting, gave her a sense of family. He’d never agreed with her, but he let her have it. She was also the only one who could get him to pray aloud anymore. They were two complete opposites, but Kurloz mused, he wouldn’t want anyone else to be his distant hatch mate. Humans called them cousins. They stood there for a few more minutes in the hallway, until she squeezed and finally stepped back.   
  
“Thanks, for listening to her. Poor thing is half mad some days, I think. A mix of cancer and an old head injury.”    
  
“She’s tough for an old woman then,” Kurloz muttered, sticking his hands in his pockets.   
  
“Old? No, though I can see how she looks can make you think that. She’s only fifty-five, but the cancer’s really taken its toll on her. She’s dying, won’t be here much longer than a year, I think.” Calliope sighed. “She’s been to jail, from what I understand. It’s where she got the head injury, and when she was released, she moved up here to be closer to the little family she had left. Her sister and brother come by occasionally, but they look a lot sadder each time.”    
  
“…I don’t really care,” Kurloz finally said, sighing. “I just wanted to go on a walk to get out of my matesprit’s hospital room. He’s unconscious and I’m fucking tired of hearing that damn machine.”   
  
Calliope gave him a sympathetic look.    
  
“Yeah, they can get to you. But, thank you for entertaining her while you did. I must be spending too much time with her, she’s starting to rub off on me,”    
  
“Probably,” Kurloz nodded, too tired to be polite. And Calliope seemed to understand, taking it in stride.   
  
“Well, I’m glad Louise got someone else to talk to for a little while. She’s been alone a long time. From what I heard, she used to have kids, but they were either taken from her or they died, I’m not sure which.”

Kurloz tilted his head. “You know why they got taken?” 

Calliope shook her head.    
  
“No. Just that they were, or they’re dead. She wasn’t particularly coherent and the drugs tend to affect memory. I just try to listen and make her feel a little less alone. Louise D’Armor-Burke… She’ll probably have a little ceremony and some daffodils. I’ll see if I can go to the service.”    
  
“…You sound like Aradia,” Kurloz muttered. “Way too into death to be healthy, the both of you.”    
  
“Well, when you’re surrounded by it, no matter how hard you try sometimes, it’s best to have a positive outlook. At least she won’t be in pain. You get used to older folks dying when you work in the cancer ward.” She shrugged. “Right, I have to go and do my rounds. Go see your matesprit, I hope he gets better soon. I’ll talk to Roxy and the others, distract them for a little bit.”   
  
Kurloz just nodded, letting a ghost of a smile play at his lips, and walked back to Cronus’ room, deciding to take the stairs. He had almost completely forgotten the strange old woman when he got back, sitting next to Cronus on the bed by his legs, threading their fingers together. Meenah was texting, he assumed her mother and sister, and gave him a small nod. Kankri was dead asleep, clutching Cronus’ other hand. He sighed and leaned over Cronus, brushing a kiss against the tip of his nose, then just under his eyes before finally pressing a gentle kiss to his lips and barely pulling back to mumble,  
  
“Please, wake up and be okay. I can’t stand the thought of being without you and that scares me, Cronus. Don’t leave.”    
  
Meenah didn’t say a word, just let him have that moment. He was thankful.    


Several more hours passed. People came and went, but Kurloz stayed put as the hours ticked by, only leaving for three hours to get some food, shower, change his clothes and grab a two hour nap. He worked out with Porrim, Meulin and Aranea how the schedule for the shop would work and decided to cut the hours down for the time being, at least until Cronus woke up. A day or two being closed wouldn’t hurt, but it would start to take a bite if they were closed for an unknown period of time. Though, that was only if Cronus didn’t wake up in the next day or two. For the moment, they put the the CLOSED sign and made plans for the next few days on restricted hours. He fell asleep at some point, but Calliope managed to pull some kind of favor and he wasn’t disturbed by the nurses or doctor that came to check on Cronus. Kurloz was alone in the room with him as the room began to rise, dead asleep, his head pillowed on his arms when he felt Cronus’ hand twitch and then tense, curling around his own.    
  
“-Loz?” came a slow, slurring moan.    
  
Kurloz sat up slowly, rubbing at his eye with his free hand, blinking slowly. “Cro?”    
  
The other looked horrendous, barely better than he did before, but he was awake. Kurloz felt a shot of warmth rush through him at that and he instantly felt more awake.    
  
“How do you feel? Are you alright? Should I get a nurse-?”    
  
Cronus giggled, blinking at him blearily. “S’ll good, Kur,” he mumbled, yawning, then winced. “Hurts to,” he cleared his throat and Kurloz winced, biting back an instinctive surge of rage at that. The red marks had faded, but Cronus would still be in a fair amount of pain. He wanted to find the trolls Damara, Vriska and Tavros had identified and tear them limb from limb. He wanted to make them  _ pay _ \- He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Cronus squeeze his hand tight as he could, which wasn’t very tight but he was trying.    
  
“Cro-?” he started and stopped when Cronus shook his head, obviously struggling to stay awake.    
  
“Stay, here.” he rasped. “Please. Don’t go off,” he raised a limp hand and made a vague motion to the door then his head. “Stay,”    
  
Kurloz blinked then smiled and nodded, feeling his rage soften till it was muted once more. It would still be there, but for the moment he would swallow it. Cronus was awake. It was enough for now. He leaned forward and pressed a sweet, chaste kiss to Cronus’ lips and chuckled when the other whined as he pulled away.    
  
“I don’t plan on leaving you anytime soon, Cronus,” he murmured, lifting his free hand to cup his face. “You mean everything to me. I will not leave that so easily.”    
  
Cronus nuzzled into his palm and yawned, huffing as he fought to stay awake. Kurloz smiled.    
  
“Sleep, Cronus. I will be here.”    
  
The other man looked annoyed but nodded and finally let the drugs in his system wash through him and drag him back to sleep. Kurloz rubbed his knuckles with his thumb, careful of the IV needle in the back of his hand, and after several minutes of watching his matesprit rest in a dreamless sleep, used his free hand to dig his phone out of his coat pocket and text the large group chat, despite knowing no one would be awake, realistically. 

  
**ME: HEY, CRONUS JUST WOKE UP FOR A FEW MINUTES. NOT VERY LUCID, TIRED AS ALL FUCK BUT HE SHOULD BE FINE NOW. I’LL LET YOU LOT KNOW IF HE WAKES UP AGAIN BEFORE VISITING HOURS.** **  
** **  
** He turned his phone to vibrate and stuck it in his pocket before he pillowed his head on the bed once more and fell into a light sleep slowly, soothed by the steady breathing of his love and the tighter grip on his hand. He would be alright. They would both be alright. He would make sure of it.


End file.
